Ndeda Named IAU Boss as Komesha Returns to DCI’s IB in Changes

The National Police Service’s Internal Affairs Unit got a new director in changes announced on Thursday.

The deputy Director of police operations at police headquarters Judy Jebet Ndeda was named the new director of IAU replacing Abdallah Komesha who made a return to the Director of Criminal Investigations and named the new director of Investigations Bureau (IB).

Komesha replaced David Birech who had ironically in June this year taken over from him (Komesha).

Birech was recalled to police headquarters where he will be assigned new work, officials said.

The changes were announced Thursday, November 30 evening by police headquarters and the officers told to report immediately.

Officials said more changes are expected in the coming months as a number of officers have retired.

Komesha had been in charge at IB for less than two months after he took over from Eliud Lagat who was promoted and named the Commandant of General Service Unit (GSU).

Komesha had also acted as the Deputy Inspector General of Kenya police for two months before Douglas Kanja was named as the substantive DIG.

IB is seen as key in police work as it gives directions on various investigations.

The taskforce on police reforms in its latest report recommended that Parliament should amend Section 87 of the National Police Service (NPS) Act to provide for competitive recruitment of the IAU Director, secure the tenure of the Director and clearly state the Director’s mandate.

It also called for decentralisation of the Unit’s functions and to expressly authorise the IAU to enforce discipline and professional standards within the NPS.

The NPS Act should be further amended to focus the functions of IAU on strictly disciplinary offences and not criminal matters that fall within the purview of DCI and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, the report says.

Part of the functions of IAU include receiving and investigating complaints against police.

It also promotes uniform standards of discipline and good order in the service and keeps a record of facts of any complaints or investigations made to it.