Senator Omtatah Goes To Court Against Douglas Kanja's Position As IG

Senator Omtatah Goes To Court Against Douglas Kanja’s Position As IG

Busia Senator and Activist Okiya Omtatah went to court on Wednesday to challenge Douglas Kanja’s appointment as the new Inspector General of Police.

In the petition, the Senator claims Kanja’s appointment violates the Constitution because he believes the new IG was handpicked without a competitive process.

The National Assembly approved IG Kanja’s appointment a week ago. He was later sworn in by Chief Justice Martha Koome and then installed in office by President William Ruto.

The High Court of Kenya has since certified Omtatah’s petition as urgent.

Aside from competitive recruitment, Kanja faces a number of other issues, including atrocities committed against demonstrators while serving as Acting Inspector General.

The Inspector General is also grappling with the critical question of how to address the issue of police reform, which President William Ruto has stated will require Ksh106 billion in funding.

Busia Senator Omtatah in court to challenge the appointment of Douglas Kanja as the Inspector-General of Police, arguing that President William Ruto violated the Constitution and that the recruitment process was not competitive.

Kanja was appointed on September 19, 2024.… pic.twitter.com/bkPw8SAI4i
— Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) September 25, 2024

Kanja’s appointment was approved by the relevant committees in the Senate and the National Assembly.

Most MPs agreed that his track record makes him the most qualified candidate for the position.

The National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetangula, stated that the house had considered the reports submitted by all relevant committees involved in the process.

“Taking into consideration the findings of the joint committees of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs and the Senate standing committee on Defence and Foreign Relations in its report on the vetting of Douglas Kanja Kirocho for approval as the Inspector General of the National Police Service,’’ Wetangula stated.

“This house approves the appointment of Douglas Kanja Kirocho as the Inspector General of the National Police Service.”

The Inspector General of Police position has been fraught with controversy since it was declared vacant on July 12 after then-IG Japhet Koome announced his resignation.

Koome was accused of presiding over the brutalization of Generation Z protestors, the kidnapping of activists, and the murder of tens of protestors.

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President William Ruto would later nominate Kanja as Acting IG, but pending his approval, the Head of State appointed Deputy IG Gilbert Masengeli to hold the fort in the interim.

However, his assignment would be controversial, albeit brief.

Masengeli defied seven court orders during his two-month tenure as IG, which resulted in his conviction for contempt.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi sentenced him to six months in prison, but he later released him after the police chief apologized for his actions in court.

Senator Omtatah Goes To Court Against Douglas Kanja’s Position As IG