Written by Were Kelly
Sheria Mtaani, a Mathare-based NGO led by Shadrack Wambui, has filed a petition in the High Court seeking clarity on who should control and manage the National Police Service payroll — the National Police Service (NPS) or the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
Through lawyer Danstan Omari, the NGO named the Inspector General of Police, the NPS, and the Attorney General as respondents. The NPSC and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) were listed as interested parties in the case.
In its application, the NGO argues that the NPS and the Inspector General have been taking actions regarding payroll management that undermine the NPSC’s constitutional and statutory human resource mandate, as outlined in the Constitution.
An affidavit sworn by Wambui and attached to the application states that a dispute has emerged between the Inspector General and the NPSC over payroll control. The NGO says the matter directly involves the interpretation of Articles 245 and 246 of the Constitution, which define the roles and functions of both the Inspector General and the Commission.
The court is now expected to determine the rightful authority over the police payroll, a decision that could have far-reaching implications on the management of the country’s security sector.
