There was drama in Parliament as
National Police Service Commission
CEO Peter Leley clashed with MPs
over the ethnic composition of the
commission’s staff.
The NPSC boss resisted attempts
by MPs at the National Cohesion and
Equal Opportunities Committee to
compel him to table the list which
he insisted is against the law.
The committee chaired by Mandera
West MP Yussuf Haji has been doing
an audit of ethnic diversity in state
departments and agencies.
The committee wanted names of
Kenyans hired in the ongoing recruitment to establish whether the process
complied with the requirement of the
law on ethnic balance.
NCIC Act compels public institutions to ensure no more than onethird of staff of a pubic establishment
should come from the same ethnic
community.
The committee’s vice chairperson
Ong’ondo Were (Kasipul) demanded
that the CEO, who appeared before
the House team, submits the names of
the recruits to the committee backing
it with appointment letters to verify
ethnic balance.
A demand the CEO rejected.
“For the committee to establish
whether you have used the ongoing
recruitment to correct anomalies in
ethnic balance you will be required
to submit the list to the committee for
verification,” Ong’ondo demanded.
But Leley declined noting that there
is nowhere in the recruitment procedures that allows him to submit the list of the recruits to the committee
before issuing them with appointment
letters.
“About tabling the list of the
recruits before the committee I will
not. The committee will be breaking
the law by compelling me to do so,”
he said.
The lawmakers did not take the
CEO’s sentiments lightly as they accused him of being arrogant and a
hostile witness.
Haji reminded the adamant CEO
that the committee had powers to
compel any witness before it to submit documents on matters under
investigation.
“The law empowers
the committed to compel any witness appearing before it to table any
document perceived to be of any assistance to their probe into matters
before it. You cannot run away from
the order,” he said.
Haji expressed his displeasure with
the tone of the CEO in addressing the
House team, adding the committee is
not ready for confrontation.
“Your tone is disrespectful to the
committee. You can oppose what the
House team wants from you but in a
respectful manner,” he said.
