National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has poked holes on the recent move by President Uhuru Kenyatta to replace top police bosses.

Last week, Mr. Kenyatta redeployed DCI boss Ndegwa Muhoro, Joel Kitili, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Kenya Police, and Samuel Arachi — his Administration Police counterpart. They were replaced by George Kinoti, Edward Njoroge Mbugua and Noor Yarao Gabow respectively.

Unconstitutional changes

In a statement, Mr. Odinga accused Kenyatta of unconstitutionally making changes in the Police noting that such powers were only in the hands of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

“It appears that the first agenda of the Jubilee regime in the New Year is to complete the undermining of the security sector reforms which the country badly needs in line with the Constitution of 2010.

"He is recruiting senior officers without reference to the institutions that are empowered by the Constitution to do the work,'" he said.

Politically influenced

The former Prime Minister claimed that President Kenyatta recruitment was politically influenced with a motive of placing his own people in the security sector.

“The appointments now mean the officers owe allegiance to the sole appointing authority, not the public,” the NASA leader mentioned.

Odinga raised two controversial questions leading to the replacement. First, he demanded that the public ought to be informed why the three men were fired and the process used to recruit their replacements.

Illegitimate authority

“Aside from the dictates of the Constitution, the public is entitled to information on why public officers are being hired or fired. Was it because they had failed in their duties? Who identified the replacements?” Mr. Odinga posed.

The NASA leader stated that Mr Kenyatta was using illegitimate authority in the appointments adding that proper procedure should be followed  in filling vacancies in the police service and all other institutions.

Mr Odinga called on IPOA and NPSC to take their mandate seriously and start the recruitment process then recommend the proper candidates to the President and not the other way round.

According to the National Police Service Act Section 17: "The President may remove, retire or redeploy a Deputy Inspector-General at any time before the Deputy-Inspector General attains the age of retirement".

However, the same Act indicates that any appointment the President makes must be based on the recommendation of the Commission.