Kenya has become a Country ridden with too much beauracracy. For example there is the Ministry of internal security,the Police commission and the IG in charge of running the Police. But have we come to ask ourselves how little we get out of it?

Given the devolved nature of our current dispensation, for proper control, you still need the Commander of a given county to be able to recommend for: hiring; promoting; disciplining and firing of indiscipline police officers. Otherwise you will end up with a 'politicised' police force, which will be difficult to manage and control. For instance without proper control measures, a commander might need to seek higher authority before despatching officers to an urgent crime scene - something unacceptable to many Kenyans.

Setting up opposing centres of power as in the new constitution cannot work in a country where power is always personalized and viewed as tribal.

Lets disband the NPSC and give the IG power to promote and discipline the officers. This is the only way to avoid two centres of power currently creating confusion.

Aren't Kavuludi and his commissioners the people who seconded Kimaiyo for the inspector general position. If Kimaiyo is turning out to be bad for the force then surely we must also question the ability of the NPSC in matters of recruitment. If they could have got it so wrong with Kimaiyo why should they be trusted with appointing any other top cop. Just playing devils advocate all in all the entire police force is corrupt an an outsider Like Kavuludi stands no chance but I ask him to dig in and stay true to his mandate don't be cowed by this crooked cops just remain true to your work that is the only way the police can be reformed by one who is not from within. The biggest mistake by the NPSC was in appointing leaders who came from the very force they are trying to change.

this is not good at all!

The first person to go should be Mr. Kavuludi he is the one who seconded Kimaiyo to parliament for vetting and approval. If Kimaiyo turns out to be a non performer and impossible to reform then Kavuludi and his fellow commissioners should explain how Kimaiyo came to be the best suited candidate for the job. Their clear Lack of judgement and the requisite skill to choose a top cop surely should raise questions about their ability and suitability to chose all 47 county commanders. Do we need another 47 Kimaiyos "working to derail police reforms".

Move on, guys..!!

Is this a way to avoid coming up with tangible solutions... Accepting and moving on. Isn't the motto of accepting and moving on a form of social stagnation? Goldenberg, anglo leasing, maize scandals, etc.

Is there no firm leadership for steering Kenyans through problems by providing tangible solutions. Even going to school looks like a waste of time.

Well said ShockNAwe

The National Police Service Commission made a mistake by recommending Kimaiyu to the President! How did Kimaiyu pass the interview going by his poor communication skils? He does not seem to be suitably qualified for the job. He should be a Pastor!

Kimaiyo is working a Ph.D in crminology and you say he is not qualified?

Being qualified on paper only is not enough. Your capabilites are proved on-the-job. You may read and read until kingdom come yet be unable to execute even the most basic things you have been writing about. Nowhere will this be more evident in a job like security and crime where your incompetence will be very public and exposed very fast. The proof is in the performance and on this, he has failed badly. I think that is what he is trying to put across here.

LOL, I understand you expected some tough talking dude like Atwoli.

Why then not let all teachers appointment and promotions be handled by one person..............Choices have consequences!

That's why TSC is there!

Folks, we are on our own as these guys fight. No wonder criminals are all over the place. Question, is lack of response on the part of the police to the runaway crime, a deliberate attempt to show how poor the National Police Service Commission are at what they are doing? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, we are getting robbed, assaulted and killed left, right and center.

When the constitution was being written, it assumed that the only problem with the police was that they were being misused by the executive; so many other problems were ignored.
In recruiting the IG, we made a mistake which is now near impossible to rectify; the IG is a career officer in a force that has no cohesion and no loyalty. It uses the formula of force both within it and to the citizens to achieve its way. Instead of getting a break, we have gotten continuity. It is therefore not surprising that the IG is still flying in, with an entourage, after the event.
It is also not surprising that APs at the border are still living in tented camps while the terror machinery is staring at them! How can KDF learn so many lessons from the global war on terror and the Police Service learn nothing?!

Nature of some of us Kenyans we cant just work with one another in peace..same enviroment in the offices..

It is time for the two to either work together or be kicked out!

wrong! full implementation of the constitution?! Kenyans are tired of the dark forces....

Dark forces at it already; derailing full implementation of the constitution. From frustrating the smooth transition of county governments to now frustrating the
National Police Service Commission. Reality check Mr. Kimaiyo: this is a new dispensation where the NPSC is a team of commissioners constitutionally established to work together in line with police reforms! Its no longer a one man's show where the police commissioner sits there and acts only when ordered to do so by statehouse operatives!

Jawanya I agree with you.Police force reform is doomed,devolved government systems is on it's deathbed,land reform is already in the dustbin and soon the entire constitution will be trashed.Choices have consequences.Kimaiyo is frustrating police reform and he has his backers.

Two folks fighting for fame and material gains while most of Kenyans are left without protection, is a big shame. The powers of the two should be laid down and spelled out loudly to avoid unnecessary competition leading to insecurity due to negligence. Both should be judged in a court for failing to perform their duties.

You could choose to be shallow and see the two fellows fighting, or may choose to look deeper and understand the dynamics! anti-reformist otherwise known as Dark forces have compromised the reform agenda. Its now evident which direction Kimaiyo has taken,

Of course the mess can only be corrected by a reform oriented person, what the kenyan police suffers from is tribalism and unprofesionalism mixed with favouritism. Mr. Kimaiyo can only solve these problems if he chooses to be profesional in his work. meanwhile kenyans will continue being robbed, killed and slaughtered anyhow. The ball lies with the commander in chief who should everything to order, sometimes the situation demands that a radical decision needs to be taken. he should tell the two gentlemen to put their acts together or face the fire simple. what is happening are political moves, one wing wants a profesional and reformed police force while the other prefers a force at the beckon of the politicians.

This totally out of character?! stick to the constitution! Mr Kimaiyo is playing games with national security issues. Kenyans want real reforms.....and they want it now! The honeymoon is over. kusema na kutenda.

Kenya needs to learn from Canada where the cities (counties in Kenya) would have their own police while the central government runs the national police. The national police would be in charge of areas where the counties has no administrative control like the outskirts of the counties and the counties police would be in charge of counties policing and performing other functions like security clearance and the rest. I doubt if they will use this manor because it has been used in the West and our leaders and mentality is against the west even if we are immature in these kind of issues.

This thing was poorly crafted. The IG should of course be given more teeth. He should be allowed to nominate his staff where in return they get vetted before occupying positions. There after he can fire transfer or discipline his officers. The commission should only come in to put the IG to task when things don't go right. The commission should also regularly consult and advice the IG but not too to micro manage.Power struggles won't augur well especially when the Country's security status is bleeding.

Of course recommend the same for the TSC,PSC,JSC and all the other commissions so that one man controls the show in all of them.....and please start with the judiciary!

nice one

One need not have the power to hire, promote, transfer, discipline etc in order to be in command. It is about the rule of law. Kimaiyo should concentrate on his current job discription. Security situation is really worrying. Let him refer those with misconduct issues to relevant bodies. Why does he want to be a law unto himself? Does he want to hire Waiganjos behind the back? Personally, my boss cannot fire, discipline nor transfer me but can only recommend the same and give grounds, which if plausible, they are acted upon. I suppose Kimaiyo will still recommend his officers for promotion, transfers, discipline etc as long as he has grounds. Even His Excellency the president is not hiring and firing at will and yet he is still in charge. Ni Kenya mpya.

Let both of them go home to teach others a lesson

Mean while Bungoma, Garissa ,Mombasa criminals are letting us know who is in charge with loss of lives if I may add

dictatorship thru the bac door.police are the most corrupt in the country,so fo sure they will fight back any reforms!

Horror! I can't believe what I am reading: "The NPSC has nine members. The IG and two other representatives of the force are ordinary members and business can be transacted without them." No wonder there is so much insecurity. How can NPSC run without the IG and his team as serious members? And how can NPSC have the mandate to recruit without the input of the IG - no wonder things are helper skelter in that force. Heeeelp! Someone?

Recruitment of police or whatever cadre is a corrupt process. Thus the tussle on who should call the shots.

MPs must be very careful not to hand more powers to an individual office of the Inspector General, as this makes it easier for him/her to abuse power. MPs must always keep it at the back of their minds that these same powers could come back to haunt them long after they are out of parliament.

First of all you cannot call this musical chairs business reforms. They are not reforms, we all know that. It has very little to do with actual service delivery but who gets what. The issue of discipline or reports of abuse by the police cannot be handled by the police. The matter of transfers should not be a preserve of the bosses. In anycase we should have a time limit for when an officer can stay in a particular station. The officer should not be transferred before end of term. Sacking can be recommended by a boss with evidence to the commission . We should not have bosses sacking juniors all they want. One of the reasons the force ( it is not at a level to be called a Service coz they ain't offering services ) is so inept is you find bosses doubling in Adminstration and field duties. It is a recipe for failure.

And the usual holding the country to ransom by the political elite goes on ... and on ... and on

And i am always asking why there has been a significant increase of insecurity over the recent past. What a shame to fight for power when poor Kenyans are being massacred and maimed. God help us.

Classical case of new wine in old wineskins. Kenyans should accept that appointing Kimaiyo was a fraud. He is out of his breathe and the AFANDE-mentality is beyond reforming. The world over policemen left on their own are synonymous with atrocities.

Kimaiyo simply doesn't have what it takes to SHAPE an institution.

I support whoever has proposed changes in Kenya Police Reforms.

The commission seems very civilian in dealing with Police issues. Lets reduce them to the likes of Board Of Governors in schools. They should be non executive. Their decisions must be limited to management not command issues. Kenya Police is a disciplined service with some para-military units and duties. Give IG David Kimaiyo his working space. Msilete uraia kwa polisi. Let our brothers , the police work, and pls trust them.

Article 246 Section 3(a) of the constitution of Kenya empowers the National Police Service Commission as an Independent Constitutional Organ, to recruit and appoint persons to hold or act in offices in the service, confirm appointments, and determine promotions and transfers within the National Police Service. This is provided as a safety measure to guard against any abuse by anyone. When Kimaiyo is colluding with some top civil servants to amend the Act, what is he upto? A commission that should reflect the face of Kenya should surely have space to exercise their mandate without being derailed by one power-hungry individual. How are the Kimaiyo amendments going to improve the situation and performance of the Admin Police Service? Kenya Police Service?

Kimaiyo lives in the Kanu era days, He should wake up to the new dispensation where absolute power is checked and balanced by institutions. If he is not satisfied with his JD he is free to resign

In a situation of competition to see who call shots, it is not difficult to understand some things like the criminals finding their way out of police cells.