The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, highlighted its milestones for the six-year term it has been under the leadership of Anne Makori.

During the commission’s second term in office, IPOA noted that more than 7,000 complaints remained unsolved after receiving more than 20,000 during the six years.

“In the last six years, IPOA received and processed 20,112 complaints from the public, demonstrating its commitment to providing a platform for citizens to voice their concerns,” Makori said.

Adding: “12,732 complaints were successfully resolved by the Authority while the remaining are at various stages of processing.”

IPOA’s few convictions

In 2020, IPOA was put to task to give reasons for the lower conviction rates despite receiving cases of police excesses.

This came after the authority revealed that of the 15,000 complaints they had received since 2017, only six had resulted in convictions.

The authority then defended itself, lamenting that most of the cases were marred by low or no turnout of witnesses.

The constitution stipulates that the board members and chairperson stay in office for a maximum period of six years without the possibility of renewal.

IPOA’s board is set to expire on August 31, 2024, among the boards of other independent commissions like the Lyn Mengich-led Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), Joyce Mutinda-led Gender and Equality Commission (GEC) and Florence Kajuju-led Commission on Administrative Justice(Ombudsman).

With the tenures of other commissions on the verge of expiry including the National Land Commission (NLC), the state is in a rush against time to prevent services from grinding to a halt.

The lack of clear guidelines on when to recruit commissioners has greatly affected operations at independent offices

Speaking at State House, Nairobi, when he received end-of-term reports from officials of constitutional commissions whose tenure had expired, President Ruto said he was aware that at some institutions, the terms of all commissioners expire at the same time.

“The Office of the Deputy President, in close consultation with the Attorney-General and the constitutional commissions and independent offices, will be tasked with preparing a bill to give effect to the legal provisions for staggered recruitment of commissioners,” Ruto said, adding that this would ensure continuity at the commissions.

Ruto noted that the government would ensure that commissioners are recruited transparently in the agencies whose terms are due to fall vacant.