Nairobi — The resignation of the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai on Tuesday now paves way for an elaborate process to recruit his successor in a process that commences with the gazettement of the vacancy within fourteen days and which could take a month to finalize.
President William Ruto announced Mutyambai's retirement Tuesday afternoon as he unveiled his Cabinet at State House in Nairobi.
"After discussing with Mutyambai and in consideration of his service to our nation and his health situation, I have accepted that he will proceed on terminal leave," President Ruto said.
Mutyambai, who assumed the role in 2019 after he was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, had proceeded on medical leave on on August 26 and named Deputy Inspector General (Administration Police) Noor Gabow to act.
But with his formal exit on Tuesday, the National Police Service Commission has until October 11 to declare the position vacant, through a Gazette Notice, in line with Section 12 of the National Police Service Act.
The Act require the Commission to publish the vacancy in at least two other daily newspapers of national circulation.
Already President Ruto has publicly named the former Nairobi County Police Commander Japheth Koome as his preferred pick to the position of Inspector General of Police.
Koome is currently the Commandant of the National Police Service College, Kiganjo.
Though the Head of State named Koome as Mutyambai's replacement before the commission declared vacancy, there is no provision that forbids him from making his preferred choice public.
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After the announcement of the vacancy, the Commission shall review the applications, hold public interviews, and shortlist at least three people who are qualified for the advertised post and gazette the candidates within seven days.
The Commission shall then forward the shortlisted names to the Head of State for nomination to the position of the IG within seven days of the date of shortlisting of qualified applicants.
"The President shall, within seven days of receipt of the names forwarded under subsection (5), by notice in the Gazette, nominate a person for appointment as Inspector-General from among the shortlisted names and submit the name of the nominee to Parliament for approval," Section 12(5) of the National Police Service Act states.
Parliament will then be required, within 14 days after it first meets, to vet and examine the nominee, and may either approve or reject the nomination, and notify the President of its approval or rejection.
If Parliament approves the nominee, the President shall appoint the nominee as Inspector-General of the National Police Service by notice in the Gazette within seven days of receiving communication to that effect.
Where parliament rejects the President's nominee, the Speaker of the National Assembly is required to inform the President of its decision and request a fresh nominee.
The National Police Service Act further provides that in transmitting a new nominee, the President shall within seven days, submit to Parliament a fresh nomination from among the persons already shortlisted and forwarded by the Commission.
