The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has accused the police department led by Inspector General Douglas Kanja of obstructing its oversight role by denying access to critical payroll documents.
Speaking during a session with the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday, July 16, NPSC CEO Peter Leley revealed that they were denied access to audit police payroll despite a request from the Auditor General.
Leley told the committee that the commission had been unable to audit the police payroll, raising accountability concerns about whether its decisions on recruitment and staffing had been implemented.
“We are static in accessing the payroll for purposes of auditing, the payroll to ascertain whether the decision of the commission have been complied with,” Leley said.
According to the CEO the relationship between the commission and police command had previously been very frosty.
The commission sparked fears over the recruitment process, noting that there could be ongoing, unchecked rogue hiring practices or ethnic imbalances.
“If a Commission is not allowed to audit the implementation and status of this resolution, then it makes no sense,” Leley told the committee.
The CEO acknowledged that there were recent leadership changes, including the appointment of a new Inspector General, Deputy Inspector General, and Secretary of Administration, who is also the accounting officer.
However, Leley said that the systemic resistance to oversight remains a major challenge despite the leadership changes.
“At that time, the relationship between the Commission and the command was very frosty and there had been leadership changes, but not accountability,” he said.
IG Kanja, who took over the office in late 2024, has faced mounting criticism over the alleged politicisation of police operations and resistance to external scrutiny.
Leley's allegations come in the wake of concerns about police accountability. Recently, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) complained of limited cooperation from the police in investigating misconduct, including cases of brutality during recent protests.
IPOA CEO Elma Halake recently warned that obstruction by police leadership was delaying justice for victims.
