Court suspends IG Japhet Koome's promotion of 514 police officers
Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome.
The contested and controversial recent promotions of 514 senior police officers by the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome has been temporarily stopped by the High Court.
And in a bid to stem down further discontent in the Police Force, Justice Byram Ongayo, of the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) ordered the National Police Service Commission to forthwith convene a meeting of all parties “with a view to amicably resolve the dispute and settle the matter out of court.”
The judge directed any agreement to resolve the dispute will be recorded in court and the suit marked as settled.
The orders were given following a suit filed by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah Okoit and activist Michael Kojo Otieno against IG Koome and the Attorney General under a Certificate of Urgency.
Asking the court to stay the promotions of the 514 senior officers, Okiya told Justice Ongaya that Mr Koome usurped the roles of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) which is the legally mandated body to elevate officers from one grade to the next based on merit.
Mr Okiya submitted that the directive by Mr Koome to the promoted officers not to apply for the positions advertised by the NPSC in the press is impugned and should be quashed as it offends the law and constitution.
Mr Okiya asked the judge to intervene to save the face of the Police Force and to allay discontent reigning high in the agency which is supposed to serve all without discrimination under their motto “Utumishi kwa Wote (service to all).”
The senator prayed to the court to quash the promotions as they were done in total disregard of the existing law and regulations of the Force.
Pending determination of the case, My Okiya and Mr Otieno urged the court to suspend the promotions so that the affected officers will continue to serve in their former positions while he presses for orders to quash and prohibit permanently Mr Koome from promoting officers in total disregard of the Constitution and exisiting police regulations which govern the police force on promotions.
Besides Mr Koome and the AG, Mr Okiya has also named NPSC, the National Police Service (NPC) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) as interested parties.
In his ruling, Justice Ongaya certified the matter as urgent.
The judge further granted orders suspending the promotions of the 514 officers pending hearing and determination of the Okiya case.
“That pending the inter parte hearing of the application and further orders by the court, orders are hereby staying the implementation of the promotions affecting 514 police officers said to have been unilaterally effected on June 5,2023 in the National Police Service.”
Further the judge stayed the implementation of the Memo issued on June 9,2023 by Mr Koome prohibiting police officers from applying to fill the 514 vacancies in the NPS as already advertised in the press by the NPSC.
The judge directed the case be mentioned June 29, 2023 for further directions.
