Cord, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission have demanded an entire nullification of the recently concluded police recruitment exercise citing corruption and political interference.
In a statement directed to the National Police Service, Cord leaders explained that that the process was marred by raw corruption hence warranting nullification.
"We condemn in the sternest terms possible the raw corruption exhibited during the recent police recruitment exercise and demand the nullification of the entire process and prosecution of the perpetrators," former ODM secretary-general Anyang' Nyon'go said after the Coalition's joint meeting, "We demand a repeat of the exercise that will be fair, transparent, equitable and reflective of the diversity of our nation."
Cord joins other groups in voicing concerns over the national recruitment exercise that has been criticised by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) which demanded the recruitment of 10,000 police constables to be nullified citing massive corruption, nepotism and that the exercise was neither free nor fair. IPOA boycotted a joint investigation team formed by the National Police Service Commission and the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission to allegedly investigate complaints of malpractices during the recruitment exercise. IPOA instead, directed their lawyers to challenge in court the decision by the Kavuludi-led commission not to nullify the exercise. IPOA did not attend a press briefing at the NPSC head office in Westlands, Nairobi either.
It has been established that IPOA chairman Macharia Njeru had on Monday officially written to Kavuludi calling for complete nullification of the recruitment. EACC also wrote to Kavuludi on July 18 demanding that the recruitment be nullified.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly has temporarily blocked the 10,000 new police recruits from reporting to Police College pending the completion of investigations by the National Security Parliamentary Committee.
Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso urged the National Police Service Commission to postpone the reporting date and ordered the committee to commence immediate investigations into reports of tribalism, nepotism and corruption in the just concluded recruitment exercise.
A debate on the matter was sparked by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa who sought a statement from the national administration and security Committee Chair Asman Kamama over the status in their probes.
Kamama revealed to the house the committee had written to the commission to postpone the reporting date for the new recruits from 5th of August pending the completion of its investigations.
A section of MP’s however demanded total cancellation of the entire exercise and called for a fresh recruitment exercise, saying it was riddled with corruption, tribalism, and nepotism.
Laboso ordered the committee to launch immediate investigations into the matter, even as she called on the national police service commission to extend the reporting deadline for the recruits pending the outcome of the committee’s report.
The National Police Service Commission Tuesday said that it had received over 300 complaints regarding the recruitment exercise and had launched investigations.
However MPs led by Kipipiri MP Samuel Gichigi said the commission could not be relied on to investigate itself.
The committee has summoned Interior and National Coordination CS Joseph Ole Lenku, IPOA, EACC and the National Police Service Commission officials to appear before it as investigations commence.
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