Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja
The National Assembly’s Committee on Implementation and Oversight of the Constitution (CIOC) has summoned the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to explain the conflict pitting the National Police Service and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
In a press briefing on Tuesday, the committee chair Caroli Omondi and other committee members faulted Kanja for failing to honor several invitations.
The lawmakers noted that Kanja risks inheriting a culture of non-compliance with legislative oversight, a pattern witnessed during the tenure of his predecessors.
“This will no longer be business as usual,” cautioned Omondi. “It’s been 15 years since the promulgation of the Constitution, and police reforms still lag behind. Oversight is not optional,” he asserted.
Kanja had earlier communicated through the Speaker of the National Assembly, requesting that the meeting with the lawmakers be deferred for 21 days.
The IG cited the recent appointment of a new chairperson for the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) as a reason, noting that both his office and the Commission required more time to engage constructively and seek an amicable resolution to the issues under scrutiny.
“The late communication by the IG is in itself an insult to the Committee,” stated Hon. Umulkher Harun. “It shows that as a Committee, we are not taken seriously,” she added.
The Committee, while expressing disappointment, reluctantly accepted the postponement, but denied the IG the full 21-day grace period. Instead, the lawmakers directed that Mr. Kanja appear without fail on September 16, 2025.
“We do not have the luxury of time,” stated Hon. Geoffrey Mulanya, a Committee member. “This matter needs to be dealt with once and for all,” he held.
The Committee also rejected the IG’s request for a closed-door meeting, insisting that the issue at hand is of national importance and must be conducted publicly.
“This Committee operates under the principles of transparency and public accountability. We will not allow critical matters of national interest to be shrouded in secrecy,” Omondi added.
The Committee is now scheduled to meet with the IG and the Commission on September 16 to address the issue of police officers’ payroll, among other matters.
