IG Douglas Kanja Summoned Over Police Payroll Dispute
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has been summoned by the National Assembly’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) to explain the ongoing standoff between his office and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
The move comes after Kanja reportedly failed to appear before the committee on Tuesday, September 2, despite being scheduled to attend. His absence raised concern among lawmakers, who accused him of deliberately undermining the work of the NPSC by avoiding accountability.
CIOC Chairperson Caroli Omondi announced on Tuesday that the Inspector General is now expected to appear before the committee on September 16 at 10:00 a.m.
Omondi emphasized that this session will not be conducted virtually, noting that the issues at hand are of high public interest and require Kanja’s physical presence.
According to Omondi, MPs have repeatedly raised alarm over the behavior of police representatives who sit in the NPSC.
He said these members consistently fail to attend crucial meetings, a situation that denies the commission quorum and prevents it from carrying out its duties. “Members of Parliament have noted with concern that officers from the police service who are part of the commission deliberately fail to attend meetings, effectively paralyzing the commission’s mandate,” Omondi stated.
The committee further accused IG Kanja of attempting to frustrate or sabotage the operations of the NPSC. Lawmakers argued that such actions go against Article 248 of the Constitution, which protects the independence and proper functioning of commissions.
The Constitution is clear on the role of the NPSC. Under Article 246, the commission is mandated to handle critical functions, including the recruitment of police officers, their appointments, promotions, disciplinary measures, and overall oversight of welfare and human resource management.
This legal framework places significant responsibility in the hands of the commission, not the Inspector General’s office.
At the core of the dispute is a bitter struggle over control of payroll and human resource functions within the National Police Service.
The conflict escalated in July when the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) directed IG Kanja to hand over all accounting and HR functions to the NPSC.
The directive came after a heated session chaired by Butere MP Tindi Mwale, during which MPs expressed anger at the police service’s refusal to provide essential financial and personnel records.
Lawmakers have since urged both the Inspector General’s office and the commission to resolve their differences and work together.
They warned that the ongoing standoff is negatively affecting the smooth running of the police service and could undermine accountability in the management of officers.
In an attempt to ease tensions, the NPSC recently clarified that it does not have a personal conflict with IG Kanja. The commission stated that the problems currently being witnessed began long before September 2024, when Kanja officially took over as Inspector General of Police.
Join Government Official WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
