The fourth Inspector General of the National Police Service Japheth Nchebere Koome has been sworn into office at the Supreme Court.
The ceremony was presided over by the Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, Justice Martha Koome.
As he takes over office, the new IGP will take the leading role in exercising independent command over the National Police Service and transforming the service into a people-centred police service that is responsive to the public safety and security needs of all Kenyans.
Koome was approved to be the next IGP by a joint committee of both houses of Parliament that oversaw the vetting of the nominee on Tuesday.
While debating the report Senators called on Koome to deal with insecurity cases that seem to be increasing each day, especially in the cities of Nairobi and Mombasa.
They also called on Koome to end the challenges of cattle rustling in Baringo County as well as corruption among police officers.
Senators also called on him to look into the welfare of the police officers. On Tuesday while being interviewed, Koome pledged to be professional while undertaking his duties, vowing to end corruption among police officers.
Koome takes over the leadership mantle of the National Police Service from Noor Gabow who has been the IGP in an acting capacity.
This followed the retirement of Hilary Mutyambai on health grounds, as announced by President William Ruto, on September 27, 2022.
Mutyambai, who prior to his appointment served at the National Intelligence Service, had taken over from retired IGP Joseph Kipchirchir Boinnet, also a former senior intelligence officer, who successfully completed his term and handed over office on April 4, 2019.
Koome has served in the police service for the last 31 years, having been enlisted in the then Kenya Police Force in 1991 as a Police Constable. This is after graduating from the University of Nairobi in 1990, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.
He also served as the OCPD Machakos, Maragua, Buru Buru and Central in Nairobi where he dealt with armed criminal gangs in Nairobi’s Eastlands and bank robbers who had taken the city by storm.
But perhaps it is his stint as the Director of Planning at Police headquarters that Koome’s impact on the service was heavily felt, as he spearheaded the police housing and modernization programme where dilapidated police structures across various police stations in the country left behind by colonialists, were replaced with modest buildings giving the service a new face.
He went on to serve as director of planning for 10 years and oversaw major reforms in the thorny issue of police housing and infrastructure development.
Recently, Koome served as the Nairobi police boss, the principal assistant to the Deputy Inspector General at Vigilance house and the Commandant National Police College Main Campus-Kiganjo.
The Inspector General’s Office was established following the promulgation of the 2010 constitution and its first office holder retired IGP David Mwole Kimaiyo, was appointed as the first office holder on December 20, 2012.
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