A simmering power struggle between Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) over control of the police payroll has now escalated to the High Court.
Two separate lawsuits have been filed one targeting the payroll dispute and another seeking accountability for alleged police atrocities during protests.
In the payroll case, lobby group Sheria Mtaani and advocate Shadrack Wambui accuse the IG of overstepping his mandate by taking over a function legally assigned to the NPSC. They argue that payroll management falls squarely under the commission’s human resource powers, giving it authority to set police salaries and benefits.
“The public confrontation between these two constitutional offices has created uncertainty, disrupted operations, and poses a potential national security risk,” lawyer Wambui told the court. He further noted that no law grants the IG the authority to manage payroll, warning that such control would erode the NPSC’s constitutional independence.
In the second suit, petitioners Sebastian Ochieng, Janet Mbithe, Job Omondi, Macharia Kanja, and Michael Okuto are pressing for the IG and NPSC to be held responsible for the actions of police officers accused of maiming or killing protesters.
The High Court is expected to determine whether the payroll dispute and the alleged rights violations point to deeper governance issues within the National Police Service.
