DCI boss Muhoro dropped after a controversy-ridden tenure

What you need to know:

  • Ndegwa Muhoro has been replaced in an acting capacity by Mr George Kinoti, in changes announced Friday.
  • Mr Muhoro, Mr Joel Kitili and Mr Samuel Arachi had all been redeployed to the Public Service Commission.
  • The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Joseph Boinnet, was not affected by the changes.

Long-serving Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro has been dropped from the new government line-up unveiled by President Uhuru Kenyatta Friday.

He has been replaced in an acting capacity by Mr George Kinoti, in changes announced Friday.

Mr Kinoti, an Assistant Inspector General of police, has been serving as the National Police Service spokesman since December, 2014. He was moved to the docked from the Central Bank where he was an assistant director in charge of security.

President Kenyatta said that Mr Muhoro, Mr Joel Kitili — the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Kenya Police — and Mr Samuel Arachi — his Administration Police counterpart — had all been redeployed to the Public Service Commission. Their next assignment is not yet clear.

Mr Muhoro was appointed by  President Mwai Kibaki in 2010, just before the promulgation of the Constitution.

SUDDEN DEATH

The appointment followed the sudden death of Simon Gatiba Karanja in his Juja home. Mr Muhoro became the 14th officer to head what was then known as the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Before that, he had been the Commandant of the Kenya Police Staff College in Loresho.

Mr Muhoro had also served at the Police Air Wing, the Kiganjo Police Training College and with a UN peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone. He joined the police force in 1991 and is a holder of a masters degree in International Studies from Moi University.

Mr Arachi and Mr Kitili have been replaced by Mr Noor Gabow and Mr Edward Njoroge Mbugua, respectively. The two incoming bosses will serve in an acting capacity, awaiting confirmation by the National Police Service Commission.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Joseph Boinnet, was not affected by the changes.

Joel Kitili

Before being appointed Deputy Inspector-General in charge of the Kenya Police Service on September 1, 2015, Mr Kitili had served as the GSU Commandant for a year. He replaced Ms Grace Kaindi, who was nominated to an ambassadorial position.

Mr Kitili had initially worked as the Rift Valley regional coordinator. He had earlier been eased out of State House, where he was the Presidential Escort Commandant, and appointed head of the national armoury.

Samuel Arachi

Mr Arachi was appointed Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Administration Police Service in 2013. According to the National Police Service Commission, he holds a masters degree in International Relations, a bachelor’s degree in Arts and a postgraduate diploma in International Relations, all from the University of Nairobi.

“He is a career civil servant who started off as an assistant secretary in 1989 and rose through the ranks to the position of District Commissioner in 1993 and was later promoted to the position of Senior AP Commandant 1 in 2012 prior to his current appointment as a DIG (AP),” the profile says.

Mr Arachi replaced Mr Kinuthia Mbugua who retired in September 2012.

Noor Gabow

Mr Gabow has served in several senior capacities in the National Police Service.

Just four months ago, he was posted to the Kenya Police Training College, Kiganjo, as the Commandant.

Before that, Mr Gabao, who has been a Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police by rank, served as the Director of Planning at Police headquarters.

Edward Njoroge Mbugua

Mr Mbugua will now be Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Kenya Police Service. He was picked from the Presidential Escort Unit, where he was the Commandant.

The changes in the National Police Service top brass come at a time when the Force is on the spot over human rights violations, failing to enforce traffic rules and corruption.

In the recent past, cases of police officers being linked to unexplained murders, suicide, and other forms of crime have been on the rise.