Lead image for How the Inspector-General (IG) of police is recruited.
The Inspector-General (IG) of the police's office may become vacant if the holder’s term expires or is removed by the President. Of course, they enjoy the security of tenure. But whenever the vacancy occurs, the President has 14 days to nominate someone for appointment and submit the name to Parliament.
“The President shall, within fourteen days after a vacancy occurs in the office of the Inspector-General, nominate a person for appointment as an Inspector-General and submit the name of the nominee to Parliament,” reads the National Police Service Act.
Parliament then, within a fortnight after its first meeting after receiving the names of the nominee, consider their suitability with a view to approving or rejecting their appointment.
The candidates whose names are submitted must meet the eligibility prescribed by the law, which includes being a Kenyan, a degree holder with a “distinguished career”. The candidates, besides meeting the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution, must have also served in a senior management position for at least fifteen years.
The Speaker of the National Assembly shall then notify the head of state of their decision.
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Should Parliament approve the nominee, then the President, by law, has seven days to appoint the nominee as the new Inspector-General. But if Parliament rejects a nominee, then it has to request the President to resubmit a new nominee.
Interestingly, if 30 days expire from the date of the nomination without Parliament approving or rejecting the nominee, whoever is nominated is deemed to have been approved.