Inspector General of the National Police Service (NPS) nominee Japhet Koome on Tuesday, November 8, revealed a closely kept secret of his stellar academic record.
Speaking while appearing before the National Assembly Vetting Committee, Koome disclosed that he was a top performer in the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) under the 7-4-2-3 system of education.
Aged 13, he sat the national test at a school in Marsabit and emerged among the best in the district, earning him admission to a national school.
"In 1980 I sat for my CPE and passed well. I was the second-best pupil in Marsabit and therefore easily joined a national school: Meru School," Koome stated.
He maintained academic excellence through high school and replicated his performance when he sat the Kenya Certificate of Education (KCE) in 1984.
"I earned a Division 1 and a Distinction 1 in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. This enabled me to join the prestigious Kagumo High School for my A-levels," he stated.
Koome explained that at the time, NPS had a programme, the Police Cadet Cops, where high school students would be taken through police processes at least twice a week for a year.
He was among the students selected from his school at Form Five. A year later, he sat the Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE) and emerged among the best in his school.
"I was called to the University of Nairobi to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering. But by the time I joined, I was already a police officer," he narrated.
After completing his undergraduate in 1990, he joined the police force as a constable and was posted as a patrol officer in Nairobi.
The IG nominee was then transferred to the Anti-Stock Theft Unit in Gilgil and promoted to inspector. In 1988 he was gazetted as Superintendent and appointed as the Deputy Divisional Commander in Buruburu, Eastlands.
A terror attack at the US Embassy in Nairobi led the government to institute reforms in the police to combat terrorism. Consequently, several officers were sent to America for training.
The officers underwent coaching at the Louisiana State Police Training Academy. Koome made a name for himself and emerged among the top during the camp.
Consequently, he was awarded a top honour by the state of Louisiana.
"While there I did well and the Mayor of Baton Rouge honoured me and appointed me honorary mayor and president of the city," Koome told the Vetting Committee.
