NPSC accuses National Police Service of stalling reforms, blocking its constitutional mandate

The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has accused the National Police Service (NPS) of denying it access to critical human resource functions, including payroll audits, hampering its efforts to address police welfare.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, NPSC Chief Executive Officer Peter Lelei slammed the police command, saying various reforms had stalled due to hostilities from the service leadership.

The concerns emerged following a report by the Auditor General for the 2022/2023 financial year, which questioned why the commission was not fulfilling its constitutional mandate.

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu cited the commission’s failure to develop a strategic plan addressing the human resource and welfare needs of police officers through the formulation and implementation of transformative human resource policies. The policies were expected to guide recruitment, appointments, promotions, transfers, disciplinary actions, human resource audits, appeals and police welfare initiatives.

Lelei told the committee that strained relations with the police command had hindered the commission from developing and implementing the required policies.

“We had difficulty accessing the payroll for audit to determine the implementation status of the NPSC policies and resolutions,” Lelei said.

He appealed to Parliament to intervene, accusing the NPS of obstructing the commission’s functions.

“This Parliament has assisted us before, and we are ready to appear here together to be cross-examined. We urge Parliament to enable us to take over the human resource function of the NPS,” Lelei said, calling on the committee to summon Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja.

Lelei further lamented that despite several attempts, the commission had been denied access to the police payroll, preventing it from carrying out audits critical to its oversight role.

However, PAC members were unsympathetic to the commission’s complaints, accusing it of failing to enforce its constitutional mandate.

“You are being indolent because the Constitution gives you control over the NPS payroll. Go and work, don’t sit on your back,” Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo said.

Aldai MP Marianne Kitany faulted the commission for seeking Parliament’s intervention instead of exercising its legal powers.

“The law gives the commission explicit functions in detail. You should be telling us that you have started an audit, not seeking our help regarding the NPS,” Kitany said, also accusing the commission of lacking a strategic plan to guide its activities.

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera, another committee member, questioned how the police payroll had ended up under the NPS’s control and likened the commission to the biblical Jonah, who defied his mission.

“When you abdicate duty the way you have done and admit it in writing, you get punished. The CEO has admitted that he doesn’t know his responsibilities. He is intentionally avoiding his duty,” Nabwer said.

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Despite the commission’s appeals, the MPs insisted that the NPSC must assert its authority and enforce its mandate rather than blame the police command or seek parliamentary intervention.