LIST OF 10 CANDIDATES SHORTLISTED TO REPLACE KINOTI

They were drawn from a list of 253 applicants who sent their applications to the National Police Service Commission.

Commission chairman Eliud Kinuthia said the ten were suitable for the interviews and vetting slated on Tuesday October 11 to fill the vacant position left by former DCI George Kinoti.

Kinuthia invited the public to submit credible written memorandum on any of the candidates by Tuesday.

“They have been invited for interviews and vetting on Tuesday, 11th October 2022, at Kenya School of Government, lower Kabete in Nairobi,” he said.

Those shortlisted include director of Internal Affairs Unit Mohamed Amin, Coast head of DCI Bernard Barasa, director of reforms at the DCI Eliud Lagat, the principal assistant to the Inspector General of police Munga Nyale and Homabay County police commander Esther Seroney.

Others shortlisted in the list made public on Saturday October 8 include director of reforms at police headquarters David Birech, head of investigations at insurance fraud Jonyo Wiso, director of planning at DCI Nicholas Kamwende, Paul Ndambuki formerly regional Coast police commander and head of DCI Railways Dr Wanderi Mwangi.

The Commission went to a retreat at a Naivasha hotel to make the decision.

After the interviews, it will then send three names to the president on Thursday for appointment as the DCI to succeed Kinoti who left Mazingira Complex on September 30, 2022.

The commission had on September 30 named deputy DCI Hamisi Massa to act as DCI for 14 days. Massa had applied but was not shortlisted.

Among others, many candidates were knocked out of the race. Dozens of officers and outsiders had applied hoping to make it to the shortlist for those to be called for interviews.

The candidates were required to have a degree, 10 years experience and proven knowledge of criminal investigations.

The position fell vacant following the resignation of Kinoti in an announcement made by President William Ruto on September 27.

The DCI is one the most powerful units in the National Police Service.

If used and managed well, they can ensure stability of the country at large.

Crime will go higher if DCI fails in its mandate.

The main functions of the DCI include collection and provision of criminal intelligence, investigations on serious crimes including homicides, narcotics, money laundering and economic crimes, maintaining of law and order and detection and prevention of crime.

They also apprehend offenders, maintain criminal records, coordinate country Interpol Affairs, carry out investigation of matters that may be referred to it by the Independent Police Oversight Authority.

The DCI controls his budget for the over 7,000 personnel under his or her control. The personnel are currently deployed to various government offices to conduct their mandate.

The main units under DCI include Anti-Terror Police Unit, Anti-Narcotics Unit, Interpol regional bureau, DCI Academy, Bomb Disposal Unit and Banking Fraud among others.

The law says the Commission shall consider the applications, conduct public interviews and shortlist at least three persons qualified for the positions advertised.

“The names of the shortlisted persons under subsection (3) shall be published in the Gazette.

The Commission shall, within seven days from the date of publication of names under subsection (4), forward the shortlisted names to the President,” the National Police Service Act states.

The president shall then within seven days of receipt of the names forwarded under subsection (5), by notice in the Gazette appoint a person as the Director of Criminal Investigations

And ahead of the retreat, the Commission Thursday approved the transfer of services for Kinoti to Public Service Commission.

This is on condition Kinoti will remain with remuneration and privileges personal to himself, with effect from September, 27 2022 until attainment of mandatory retirement age.

PSC will now redeploy him to any position in the government. This follows his resignation as announced by Ruto, after serving the country for 30 years.

The outgoing DCI joined the Kenya Police in 1992 as a recruit constable and rose through the ranks to become the country’s top detective.

Sourced from the star