The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has issued a resolute directive aimed at bolstering transparency and constitutional adherence within Kenya's National Police Service (NPS). The committee has ordered Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja and National Police Service (NPS) accounting Officer Bernice Sialaal Lemedeket to immediately surrender all human resource (HR) functions, especially control of the payroll, to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
This stern directive follows troubling "revelations that the NPS had blocked both the Commission and the Office of the Auditor-General from reviewing its payroll for the financial year ending June 2023," a situation that has "raised serious concerns over transparency and accountability." Butere MP Tindi Mwale, who chairs the committee, left no room for ambiguity in his pronouncement on Tuesday, as the committee scrutinized the audited report of the National Police Service Commission. “Inspector-General and the Accounting Officer of the National Police Service, we are directing you, particularly the Accounting Officer to immediately hand over all human resource functions, especially the payroll to the commission immediately,” Mwale declared. Emphasizing the urgency, he added, “You are not just to grant access, but to formally and fully hand them over to the Commission. This should be done without delay do not say it will take a week; it must be done as soon as you return to your office, and put in writing.”
To ensure strict compliance, Mwale also issued clear instructions for follow-up. He ordered NPSC CEO Peter Kiptanui Leley to "write to the Committee to confirm that he has received the HR functions of the Police." Furthermore, IG Kanja himself is expected to "appear before the Committee in two weeks to confirm compliance with the directives." Mwale stressed, “Additionally, I want the CEO of the Commission to write back to the Public Accounts Committee immediately upon receiving these functions, confirming that you are now in a position to execute your constitutional mandate. And in two weeks, you will appear before us again to confirm compliance.”These sentiments emerge amidst an ongoing debate over the proper implementation of constitutional mandates within the NPS, as lawmakers are keenly pushing to reinforce the independence and oversight role of the NPSC in handling crucial human resource functions. Mwale strongly advised the NPS to cultivate a "cordial relationship with the commission," asserting that "all Kenyans will be happy when they don’t see tiffs and fights between the two entities." He issued a pointed warning to the IG: “IG Douglas Kanja, hanging onto functions that don’t belong to you could land you in unnecessary trouble. Hand them over to the Commission so it can do its job." He further highlighted the broader benefit, noting, "Once that happens, even our national security will benefit, because recruitment, promotions, and HR matters will be handled professionally, as the Constitution intends. This is now the ruling of the Committee. All accounting officers must comply, no debate.”
In his defense, IG Kanja maintained that he is "a member of the NPSC and the NPS fully cooperates with the Commission." He publicly stated that the NPS "will hand over the payroll to the Commission immediately," explaining, “We cooperate fully with this Commission, and let’s not forget that I am also a commissioner. I’m a member of that Commission. If for any reason the Commission does not have the payroll, they should actually be able to access it immediately.” Reinforcing the legal imperative, Aldai MP Maryanne Kitany emphasized that "matters relating to police welfare, payroll, recruitment, promotions, and other HR functions must be fully managed by the Commission, as provided for in law."
