Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has firmly rejected attempts by the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) and sections of Parliament to take control of the National Police Service (NPS) payroll, warning that such interference violates the Constitution and undermines police independence.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, Inspector General Douglas Kanja emphasized that payroll control remains solely within his mandate as the Accounting Officer of the Service.
“The Inspector General of Police, as the Accounting Officer of the Service, is solely responsible for the custody, integrity, and administration of payrolls within the National Police Service,” the statement read.
IG Cites Constitutional and Legal Grounds
Kanja cited Articles 245 and 249 of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), 2012, to support his claim to exclusive authority over the police payroll system.
“The payroll, being a financial instrument, naturally falls under the IG’s purview as an expenditure record and a sensitive accountability document,” he stated.
He warned that any attempt by NPSC or Parliament to take over payroll administration constitutes “mission drift” and threatens the principle of separation of powers.
While acknowledging the NPSC’s constitutional role in police human resource management under Article 246, Kanja clarified that this authority does not extend to financial management or payroll administration.
He also rebuked Parliament’s involvement in the matter, stressing that oversight should not be confused with operational control:
“Oversight means scrutiny, reporting, auditing, and inquiries — not administrative micromanagement,” he said.
IG Warns Against Institutional Overreach
Inspector General Douglas Kanja cautioned that if government institutions continue to ignore constitutional boundaries, the operational independence of critical bodies like the police will be severely compromised.
“If institutions within government begin to ignore constitutional boundaries and pressure others to do the same, the consequences for governance and institutional integrity are severe,” he warned.
Kanja called on Parliament and the NPSC to support rather than constrain his office, reaffirming that custody of payrolls must remain where the Constitution has placed it — under the Inspector General.
