Police chiefs sent home in vetting purge

Johnston Kavuludi

The chairman of National Police Service Commission Johnston Kavuludi (left) confers with commissioner Mursid A. Mohammed (right) in this file photo. Two senior policemen have been sent home while three others will face further investigations following a second round of vetting. 

In Summary

• Mr Kavuludi defended his team against accusations of conducting an unfair process.

By FRED MUKINDA

Two senior policemen have been sent home while three others will face further investigations following a second round of vetting aimed at removing those found unsuitable for law enforcement.

Those sent home on Friday are the head of Administration Police college in Emali, Mr Eusebius Laibuta, who during the vetting had told the panel that sending him home would be tantamount to killing him, and Mr Philip Tuimur of police headquarters.

Those to be questioned for a second time are deputy head of police reforms King’ori Mwangi, deputy director of criminal investigations Gideon Kimilu and administration police head of operations Peter Pamba.

“Results of the three officers have not been finalised as the commission needs to conduct further investigations. We will call the officers for further interviews to elaborate on outstanding issues,” National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi, who headed the panel, said.

He declined to give the reasons why the two had been found unsuitable only saying; “the reasons will come later once they have been communicated to the officers. We shall send the reasons on the determination through the Inspector-General so that they form part of the record for those officers especially those who have been discontinued.”

It would not be prudent to reveal the reasons through the media, he added.

While conducting the vetting, the commission said it was checking financial probity, human rights record, academic qualifications, professionalism and efficiency.

The second round involved 23 officers holding the rank of deputy commissioner of police 18 of whom were found suitable to continue serving.

Three other senior officers were sent home after the first round of vetting, including Mr Francis Okonya, a senior deputy commissioner of police I (SDCP-I), based at the Police Headquarters, Mr Jonathan Koskei (SDCP-II ) who was in charge of police reforms and Mr Peter Eregae (SDCP-II) who served in the office of the Inspector-General.

Mr Okonya is, however, fighting the retirement through the courts and has been reinstated until his case is determined. He is also seeking a review of the decision from another panel formed by the commission.

Mr Kavuludi said the court cases would not stop the reform momentum adding: “A court case is normal practice and if the officers feel aggrieved, we encourage them to seek legal redress. We are also open to them to come for review as they take the other actions. They can bring any new information or raise any other matter they feel may have been overlooked.”

The exercise aims at interviewing about 80,000 police officers, and the third round, targeting those holding the ranks of senior assistant commissioners (SACP) and assistant commissioners (ACP), is scheduled to take place between February 15, and March 8.

Conducting an unfair process

Mr Kavuludi defended his team against accusations of conducting an unfair process.

“We’ve been carrying out the exercise without influence from any quarter. We’ve not been constrained and there has been no horse-trading,” he said and added:

“There have been questions relating to the vetting panel. Work record not only brings the officers to account for their past performance, but also reveals the extent to which they are qualified to continue holding the position. Financial probity is delved into depending on the extent of the declared wealth.”

When Mr Laibuta appeared for vetting, he appealed to the chairman: “I personally appeal to you not to spell doom to us by taking away our jobs, because if you do so, you may find some of us on the obituary pages of newspapers.”

With regard to Mr Mwangi, the panel had raised several queries including whether or not he owns Bella Vista restaurant in Mombasa and many rental houses to which he replied: “Chair, if I own it (Bella Vista), you can go there and have lunch for free.”

Mr Kimilu was questioned on the extent of his wealth, to which he declared that he was “not a poor man.”

The officers who were retained were present at the Commission’s headquarters when the announcement was made, resplendent in their full uniform.

Mr Laibuta appeared in a beige suit, but hurriedly left before the announcement after shaking hands with some of his colleagues.

Police are also investigating the source of two letters addressed to Mr Kavuludi and Mr Murshid Mohammed, one of the commissioners, in which they have been threatened.

Investigations have not established if the letters that were laced with an unknown chemical could be connected to the vetting process.

Yet another investigation is pending after a human head was dumped in a box outside the Commissions office, with the writing: “Kavuludi you are next.”

The third round will target 182 officers and those below them in rank, such as senior superintendents and superintendents would be vetted by end of June.

Unlike in the earlier rounds, the third batch will be vetted by four panels, each headed by a commissioner of the NPSC.