President Uhuru Kenyatta will have the power to hire and fire the heads of police and the members of the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) without a tribunal, if a bill that is set to be debated in parliament sees the light of day.
Currently IPOA is independent of influence from any government official and can only be sacked by following a protracted bureaucratic procedure.
IPOA was created after the 2007/2008 Post Election Violence and the move by the President has been termed strategic ahead of the 2017 polls.
The Opposition MPs protested against the bill stating that it was unconstitutional, and an early plot by the President to control the police ahead of the 2017 polls.
“Uhuru wants the entire security apparatus to be at his disposal. You can only make such a move if you are facing a civilian threat and plotting on how to remain in office,” said Homa Bay MP Peter Kaluma.
The bill also dictates that the President will have the power to fire, redeploy or retire a Deputy Inspector General before attainment of the retirement age.
This section is reportedly seen as a deliberate move after President's failed attempt to remove DIG Grace Kaindi from office on September 1.
If the bill turns to law, It will no longer be mandatory for at least one of the top three police officers either Inspector General of Police or the two deputies, to be a man or a woman.
This contentious bill which will be spearheaded by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, cancels out the 2/3 gender rule required by the constitution, to be implemented in all public sectors.
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