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President Uhuru Kenyatta said the appointment was made “to ensure a smooth transition and continue the ongoing reforms in the National Police Service,” given Kaindi’s attainment of the legal public officer retirement age of 60/FILE
GSU boss Kitili to head regular police as Kaindi named envoy
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 1 – General Service Unit Commandant Joel Kitili has replaced Grace Kaindi as the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Kenya Police in an acting capacity, with immediate effect.
Making the announcement on Tuesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the appointment was made “to ensure a smooth transition and continue the ongoing reforms in the National Police Service,” given Kaindi’s attainment of the legal public officer retirement age of 60.
Recent amendments to the security laws removed that power from the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) which would have invited applications for the post.
The National Assembly will however have to approve whoever President Kenyatta nominates to permanently replace Kaindi.
The National Police Service Commission had instructed her to proceed on early retirement from October but she contested the order, arguing that her term legally ends in 2018.
She maintained that her tenure in office was not pegged on the attainment of the mandatory retirement age of 60 years for civil servants but on her five year contract extension since she is a state officer.
NPSC Chairman Johnston Kavuludi later rescinded his decision in a letter addressed to her after consultations with constitutional commissions.
President Kenyatta also appointed Ambassador Martin Kimani as the Director of the National Counter Terrorism Centre to replace Isaac Ochieng.
Both Kaindi and Ochieng will await postings and eventual vetting by Parliament.
