The Senate has approved the nomination of Douglas Kanja Kirocho as the Inspector General of the National Police Service.
This approval follows the presentation of a report by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly’s Administration and Internal Security and the Senate’s Standing Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations.
The report was tabled by Sen William Cheptumo (Baringo), Chairman of the Senate National Security Committee, and seconded by Sen Danson Mungatana (Tana River).
During the debate on the motion, several senators, including Majority Leader Sen Aaron Cheruiyot, Sen Enoch Wambua (Kitui), Sen Mohammed Chute (Marsabit), Sen Crystal Asige, Sen Seki Lenku (Kajiado), Sen Richard Onyonka (Kisii), and Sen Joseph Githuku (Lamu), emphasized the importance of Kanja serving Kenyans with professionalism.
They urged him to address key issues within the police service, such as officers’ welfare, the lack of security vehicles, corruption—particularly at unnecessary roadblocks—and conflicts of interest.
Other senators who contributed to the motion were Sen John Kinyua (Laikipia), Sen Catherine Mumma, Sen Wahome Wamatinga (Nyeri), Sen Okong’o Mogeni (Nyamira), and Sen Samson Cherarkey (Nandi).
The Joint Committee received 30 memoranda from the public regarding Kanja’s suitability. Of these, 23 were in support of his nomination, though they did not fully comply with section 6(9) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act (Cap. 7F), as they were statements on oath but not objections to the nominee’s suitability.
Only two memoranda contesting the nomination met the requirements of section 6(9), while two other objections did not comply, as they were not submitted under oath.
The Committee also received neutral memoranda from Captain Brown Amani, Jacques Ojwang Okoth, and Wolde Doyo Fanje, a junior officer in the National Police Service.
After evaluating Kanja’s suitability, competence, experience, and integrity, the Committees recommended that Parliament approve his nomination as Inspector General of the National Police Service.
With Parliament’s adoption of the report, Kanja is now set to be appointed by President William Ruto as the next Inspector General of the National Police Service.
