• Some insiders feel the move by the commission CEO to re-advertise the positions goes against a court order that has put a stay in the exercise.
• The labour court ordered that the commissioners to meet and solve the issue.
Image: FILE
There is more confusion after the National Police Service Commission re-advertised contentious positions which have caused divisions in the police employer.
Some insiders feel the move by the commission CEO to re-advertise the positions goes against a court order that has put a stay in the exercise.
The labour court ordered that the commissioners to meet and solve the issue.
On Saturday July 1, CEO Peter Leley put a new advert in the dailies telling possible candidates the deadline for applying for the 514 positions had been extended to July 14.
This is after most officers ignored an earlier advert whose deadline was on June 30 and failed to apply.
“We are told no officer applied. What we don’t understand is where he is getting the authority to put up this new advert given the commission has not met to discuss this issue and agree the way forward,” said one official.
The official said this goes against the court order.
He also faulted Leley for his comments at a Senate committee last week where he discussed the ongoing impasse.
Leley said NPSC will not cede its constitutional power to recruit police officers to the Inspector-General of Police and the Interior Ministry.
Leley told the Senate committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunity that whereas the High Court asked the commission and the IG to seek an out-of-court settlement, it will not compromise on its constitutional power to recruit and promote police officers.
The commission and IG Koome have been at loggerheads over the recent promotion of 514 police officers.
The standoff has seen the promotions put on hold even though the affected officers are wearing the insignia and have earned their new salaries.
“Although the dispute on promotions of 500 police officers is currently under mediation, one of the things we will put our foot down on is not only promotions, but recruitment of police officers. We will ensure that we protect our constitutional mandate to recruit police officers," Leley told the committee.
The commission met twice and plans another meeting next week to solve an impasse among them over promotion of 514 senior officers.
All commissioners including Koome, his deputies Douglas Kanja and Noor Gabow were present.
Also present was Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin.