Kenya’s police chief, Japheth Koome, has resigned from his role as Inspector General of Police, according to State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed.
His resignation comes a day after the president sacked his entire cabinet in a televised address to the nation on Thursday.
“William Ruto, President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, has, on this 12th day of July 2024, accepted the resignation of Eng. Japheth Koome, as the Inspector General of the National Police Service,” read a statement issued by State House.
The President has appointed Koome’s deputy, Douglas Kanja, as the acting police boss.
His resignation, effective today, follows a wave of criticism from Kenyans over the police’s handling of peaceful protests, which resulted in the brutal killings of over forty protesters, many of whom were young people, including university students. The police also fatally shot a 12-year-old child eight times in Rongai.
His tenure has faced intense scrutiny and a tumultuous season for Kenyan law enforcement. Koome took over from former police chief Hillary Mutyambai, who was pushed out by the Ruto administration when it came to power in September 2022 on accusations of misuse of power and extra-judicial killings.
Other appointments made by Ruto today include Patrick Mwiti Arandu as Commissioner General of Prisons, taking over from Brigadier (Rtd) John Warioba, who is proceeding on terminal leave. Eliud Langat has been designated as the acting Deputy Inspector General of Police, while James Kamau is the acting Deputy Inspector General manning the Administration Police Service.
Eliud Langat, who is now the Deputy Police Chief, was the Commandant of the paramilitary Kenya Police Unit, GSU, during the time of intense protests.
Ranson Lolmodooni has been appointed Commandant of the General Service Unit, and Gilbert Masengeli is the new Commandant of the Administrative Police Training College in Embakasi.
William Yiampoy has been designated as Director of Operations at Police Headquarters, while Kainga Mathiu has been deployed as Commandant of the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong.
Ruto is expected to also name new Cabinet Secretaries of Defence and Interior after he fired former CSs Aden Duale and Kithure Kindiki alongside his entire cabinet.
Kindiki was accused of overseeing the deaths of protesters, with the youthful demonstrators, the opposition, and local and international human rights organisations calling for his resignation along with that of Koome.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bunegi has also been in the spotlight for the deaths, kidnappings, and arrests of protesters.
The appointment of new Cabinet Secretaries in the security dockets and a new Inspector General of Police will allow Ruto to overhaul the critical sector less than two years after assuming power in September 2022.
