Ruto Appoints Kanja as New IG for Four Years

President William Ruto Wednesday appointed Douglas Kanja as the new Inspector General of the National Police Service.

Ruto made the appointment in a gazette notice dated September 18 and announced he will serve in the position for four years.

This was after Kanja was approved by both Senate and National Assembly as the new IG following a vetting process.

He is scheduled to take an oath of office before he takes over the office from acting IG Gilbert Masengeli.

Kanja had handed over to Masengeli who is the Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police Service (APS) at Jogoo House B on August 26 after he was nominated to the position.

Kanja who was the immediate former Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police had earlier on July 12 taken over from his then boss Japhet Koome who resigned.

And a month later, he was nominated as the successor of Koome forcing him to leave the acting position to another acting officer- Masengeli.

As he walks back to the service, he knows among others, lack of resources, corruption and low morale in general are the main challenges facing the police.

These resources are key in among others implementation of proposed reforms to make the service better.

He is the immediate former DIG of Kenya Police and Commandant General Service Unit (GSU).

When Kanja walks to his office next week he will be setting foot to a familiar territory.

He will settle to an office he had tested and knows what it means to be there.

For instance, the ongoing investigations from various agencies in regard to the people killed during the anti-government protests and those missing also pose a challenge to the incoming police boss.

Already his now deputy Masengeli has been convicted over the same and it is turning political.

Major pending reforms in the service hang on the shoulders of the police commanders and political class who are supposed to implement them for better delivery of service.

Lack of finances threatens the whole plan and now Kanja will be the man to watch.

The proposals are contained in a report by the National Taskforce on Improvement of Terms and Conditions of Service and other Reforms for Members of the National Police Service, National Youth Service and Kenya Prisons Service.

Insiders hope Kanja will be firm and help the service he has served for more than 39 years.

A career police officer who has served for a cumulative period of thirty-nine years, Kanja began his career as a recruit Police Constable in 1985 and was then promoted to Police Constable, Police Corporal, Acting Inspector of Police, Inspector of Police (IP), Chief Inspector of Police, Acting Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police, Senior Superintendent of Police, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Commissioner of Police, Assistant Inspector General and later Senior Assistant Inspector General.