Joel Kitili sworn in as deputy IG officially replacing Grace Kaindi

The National Police Service (NPS) is now staring at possible court battles after it appointed and swore in Joel Mboya Kitili as the Deputy Inspector of Police in charge of the General Service Unit (GSU), officially replacing Grace Kaindi who was appointed an ambassador of Kenya but not appointed any specific duty.

Kitili, who was on September 1^st, 2015 appointed the Acting Deputy IG upon the sacking of Kaindi, served as the Police Airwings Commander and was caught up in a controversy after pictures started circulating on social media allegedly showing his daughter and another family member riding on a police chopper in the wake of Garissa University College terror attack.

The chopper was reportedly to be used to fly the Recce squad to Garissa but it was allegedly in Mombasa to pick Kitili’s family members.

However, he was cleared of the allegations for lack of evidence.

Up on the appointment of Kitili in an acting capacity last year, activists and the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) accused the Interior CS Major Gen. (Rtd.) Joseph Nkaissery and Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet of acting unconstitutionally.

CORD leader Raila Odinga said the President and the Jubilee administration subjected the nation to “a charade over the dismissal and appointment of officers to the National Police Service” saying no acting capacities are applicable to constitutional offices.

A section of activist accused the government of flouting the Constitution by failing to observe the two-third gender rule in the police force saying that one of the two deputy IGs must be a woman.

Kaindi had moved to court to challenge her retirement from the National Police Service (NPS) saying that she was set to retire in 2018.

A few days later, Kaindi – through her lawyer Jesse Oduor – wrote to the High Court withdrawing the case saying she would since explore different avenues to resolve the matter.