TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES

26th September 2019

The Police Reforms Working Group Kenya (PRWG-K) brings together over 23 National and International Human Rights Organizations that seek to advocate for reforms within the National Police Service. The Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya is premised on four pillars namely; Quality Service; Accountability; Public Participation and Police Welfare.

The Police Reforms Working Group Kenya (PRWG-K) recognizes the independence of the IPOA as provided for in law, and which must be guarded.

We are deeply concerned about the recent developments at IPOA, resulting in an impasse at Board level, dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer and negative consequences on the Secretariat. The latter, we are afraid, is affecting the Secretariat’s relationship with us as stakeholders, with regard to effective and efficient operations, including their independence of action as required by law.

We do believe that the process that led to the appointment of current board, and subsequent assumption of full time status may be the genesis for the current situation within IPOA.

We therefore call upon the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security to institute an inquiry on the happenings at the Board of IPOA to remedy the situation. In doing so, the Parliamentary Committee must of necessity investigate and review:

• The entire recruitment and appointment process of the current board
• The legality of remuneration and salaries of the current board vis a vis the IPOA Act and other Statutes, regulations and policies
• The circumstances surrounding the Board members posturing as Commissioners in public and the change in IPOA’s branding to refer to the board members as commissioners. This situation has caused confusion both internally and among stakeholders and should be addressed as a matter of urgency.
• To investigate the possible existence of arbitrary use of power by the Board.

In doing, we call upon the Parliamentary Committee to ensure that the services of the Secretariat continue as they carry out their investigations.

We also call upon the Public Service Commission and National Treasury to safeguard the independence and continued operation of the IPOA Secretariat to ensure that services to victims continues uninterrupted.

In our understanding, the Board of any independent body is a policy and oversight body not an operational one. The current situation in IPOA dictates otherwise and therefore the need to review the status quo with regard to the Board.

We remain supportive of the IPOA team as we recognize the critical role it plays in driving the police reforms transformational agenda.

We call on Kenyans to resist any attempts to erode the hard fought independence of IPOA for the safety and security of all.

We, the undersigned Police Reforms Working Group:

1. Defenders Coalition (National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders Kenya)
2. Kenya Human Rights Commission
3. National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders
4. Independent Medical Legal Unit
5. Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya
6. Kenya National Commission on Human Rights
7. International Commission for Jurists.
8. International Justice Mission
9. Amnesty International- Kenya
10. Usalama Reforms Forum
11. International Centre for Transitional Justice
12. Legal Resources Foundation.
13. Catholic Justice and Peace Commission
14. Coalition on Violence against Women.
15. Centre for Minority Rights
16. Kenyans for Peace, Truth and Justice.
17. Peace Brigade International
18. Chemi Chemi ya Ukweli
19. Katiba Institute
20. Shield for Justice
21. Wangu Kanja Foundation
22. Women Empowerment Link
23. Transparency International-Kenya
24. Kariobangi Paralegal Network