More than 360 police officers, including senior cops, are to retire from the Kenya Police Service by June next year, the Star has established.
Those who already have been shown the door include Kenya Police College commandant Peter Kavila who was replaced in the latest reshuffle, and Christine Mutua of the Kenya Railways Police Unit.
Also expected to leave the force after reaching the retirement age of 60 is commander of the Serious Crime Unit Joseph Ngisa.
He had been the Kenya Airports Police Unit CID boss.
This is expected to be one of the biggest exits in the force since 2010 when the new constitution set up an independent police arm.
Kavila and Mutua were retired together with the Deputy Inspector General of Police Grace Kaindi.
Her term was due to end in 2017, although she had reached the retirement age of 60.
The changes were implemented by Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and the National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi.
On Wednesday last week, Kavuludi said Kaindi had attained retirement age and had to be replaced.
Her exit elicited protests from women’s organisations who demanded that her successor be a woman.
However, Kavuludi named former commandant of the General Service Unit Joel Kitili as the acting deputy inspector general of police.
He said there were no women officers who could replace Kaindi.
Before leaving office, Kaindi revealed 361 police officers across the ranks are expected to retire by next June after turning 60.
“This is a big number but because they will have to go, we need to make arrangements for their replacements,” she said.
Director of the International Centre for Policy and Conflict Ndungu Wainaina has said Kitili’s appointment by President Uhuru Kenyatta is flagrant interference with the mandate, powers and functional independence of the NPSC.
“The purported presidential appointment of certain persons to service in offices in the National Police Service is a deeply concerning continuation of the usurpation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. This is return of nefarious imperial presidency impunity,” he said.
