By 
Joseph Boinett has finally been confirmed as Kenya’s new Police chief after very testy and heated hearings in parliament, The Difference has learnt.
He replaces David Kimaiyo who resigned in the wake of increased Al-Shabaab attacks in the country at the end of 2014.
At a point it was looking like Boinett’s nomination would not go through despite that a joint National Assembly and Senate committee had cleared him for possible acceptance and ‘appointment to the post of Inspector General of police pending approval by Parliament.’
The report by the National Assembly Administration and National Security and the Standing Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations of the Senate, was tabled in the National Assembly and the Senate by the chairpersons of the two committees, Asman Kamama and Yusuf Hajji respectively.
“Having considered the suitability, capacity and integrity of the nominee and pursuant to Article 245 (2) of the Constitution, and Section 8 (2) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, the committee recommends that Parliament approves the nomination and subsequent appointment of Mr Joseph Kipchirchir Boinett to the position of the Inspector-General of the National Police Service,” read the committee’s recommendations
What was however notable in the report was that a meeting called by the committee to adopt the report was not attended by a notable number of legislators, mainly from the Opposition. It was not stated if they were absent with apologies.
Those who did not sign the report are Ababu Namwamba (Budalangi), Ali Isaack Shabaan (Lafey), Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), Humphrey Njuguna (Gatanga), Mohamed Shidiye (Lagdera), Ibrahim Abdi Saney (Wajir North), Akuja Protus Ewesit (Loima), Ahmed Abdikadir Ore (Wajir West), Moses Wetangula (Bungoma), James Orengo (Siaya) and Elizabeth Ongoro (Nominated).
Boinett was vetted last week during which he told the committee that he had all it takes to spearhead the war against crime in the country.
“I intend to confront those entrenched cultures of impunity, human rights abuse and corruption head on and I am ready for whatever consequences,” said Boinett during the vetting exercise
During vetting, members raised concerns over the credibility of Boinett’s paperwork as it emerged that the Washington International University which he acquired his degree in Arts in International Studies and Diplomacy was not recognized in the United States.
However the report by the committee stated that Commission for University Education had affirmed that the institution was genuine and recognized by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) despite it not being known in its country of origin.
The report was then debated by both houses and now the President is expected to within seven days after receiving the notification, through a gazette notice appoint the nominee as Inspector General of the National Police Service.
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