IG Kanja summoned over police payroll control row
By Mercy Mwai, July 17, 2025Lawmakers have summoned Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to appear before them regarding control of the police payroll after public disputes between him and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) over the matter.
The summons came after NPSC officials appeared before the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Butere MP Tindi Mwale, to respond to audit queries.
They explained their inability to discharge their constitutional mandate despite being granted powers to recruit, appoint, promote, and transfer within the National Police Service (NPS).
NPSC chief executive Peter Lelei, accompanied by commissioners, acknowledged improved relations with Kanja compared with former IG Japhet Koome, but asked MPs to help establish why the NPS declined to release the payroll.
“We had difficulty accessing the payroll for audit to determine the implementation status of the NPSC policies and resolutions,” Lelei stated.
Impossible to audit
He explained that the IG’s failure to release the service payroll made it impossible to audit and inspect the human resources department.
These differences also prevented renewal of their strategic plan, which expired in 2022 and was extended to September 30, 2023.
The commission developed a 2019-2022 strategic plan focusing on human resources and police officers’ welfare needs.
Despite the challenges, Lelei said the NPSC has worked to improve relationships with the commission’s command.
“It is also true that during the period under audit, the [NPSC] was denied access to the National Police Service payroll and hence payroll inspection and human resource audit could not be carried out to determine the implementation status of the commission’s policies and resolutions,” he added.
The dispute was exposed when Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed in her 2022/23 audit that the commission was denied access to police payrolls.
Article 246(3) of the Constitution grants the NPSC sole mandate to recruit, appoint, confirm appointments, and determine promotions and transfers within the NPS.
However, MPs Mwale, Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula), Marianne Kitany (Aldai), and Nabii Nabwera (Lugari) criticised the NPSC, saying it had failed to exercise its constitutional mandate.
While agreeing to summon Kanja for an explanation, they told Lelei to use his constitutional powers.
The lawmakers questioned why the NPSC was seeking help when the Constitution grants them control over the police payroll.
“Just tell us the truth that these people are hostile. We are summoning the IG so that he can tell us why he has taken over your job,” Mwale said.
Oundo added: “You are being indolent, because the Constitution gives the control over the NPS payroll. Go and work and don’t sit on your back.”