IG Kanja explains CJ Koome's security withdrawal

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has addressed concerns regarding the recent recall of police officers from the Judiciary Police Unit saying that the officers were either sent on training after promotion or procedurally transferred to other stations.

The IG says other officers have been reassigned to the Chief Justice as those who left prepare to start their promotional courses.

Kanja who spoke hours after CJ Martha Koome accused the government, through the Ministry of Interior, of withdrawing her security detail says there was poor coordination that led to the officers assigned to the Chief Justice leaving before the new ones arrived, causing the deployment gap.

However, Judiciary staff members say their inquiries prior to the revelation of the changes were treated casually.

Koome made the claim in a letter on Thursday addressed to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Police IG Douglas Kanja, expressing profound concern over the development.

According to Koome, the decision is not only an insult to the Judiciary’s independence but also poses a threat to the safety of judicial officers across the country.

“I express profound concern over the withdrawal of security for the Chief Justice—an act that undermines judicial independence, threatens institutional integrity and endangers democratic progress,” Koome said in the letter seen by Citizen Digital.

“State organs are entrusted with the solemn duty of serving the public using resources provided by taxpayers. This obligation demands that no institution or office holder be subjected to intimidation, coercion, or undue interference by another arm of government.”

Further, Koome highlighted that security for her office was not a personal privilege, but a structural necessity that ensures the Judiciary functions autonomously and without fear.

“It (security) serves as an institutional safeguard to protect judicial officers, premises, and processes from any threats that could impair the administration of justice. The withdrawal of this security detail is an egregious affront to the principle of separation of powers,” said Koome.

“Judicial independence is the cornerstone of a functional democracy. It ensures that the Judiciary can act impartially, apply the law equitably, and hold other arms of government accountable without succumbing to external influence.”

Additionally, Koome stated that the Interior Ministry has also reduced the number of officers attached to the Judiciary Police Unit, a specialized branch of the National Police Service (NPS) formed in 2021 to provide security and protective services to judicial officers.

“The Judiciary is gravely concerned about the weakening of the Judiciary Police Unit, a critical component of judicial security. Rather than bong bolstered to meet growing demands, its capacity has been diminished by the withdrawal of a significant number of officers,” she said.

“This not only exacerbates existing vulnerabilities but also jeopardizes the safety of judicial personnel and spaces across the country, thereby undermining the entire judicial system's operational efficacy.