NASA Chief Raila Odinga has accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of scuttling reforms within the security sector when he replaced three top cops last week on Friday.
DCI boss Ndegwa Muhoro was dropped and replaced by George Kinoti who will serve on an acting capacity.
Ex-Deputy Inspector General of Police Samuel Arachi (Administration Police) and Joel Kitili (Kenya Police) were replaced by Noor Gabow and Edward Njoroge Mbugua respectively.
Raila in fresh attack on the President cited he acted against the spirit of the 2010 Constitution.
“Those changes were married with the partial naming of the Cabinet because Kenyatta did not want them to attract too much attention and scrutiny. Kenyatta knew he was acting against the spirit of the Constitution and trying to reintroduce through the backdoor what his mentors in Kanu perfected years ago,” charged Raila on Tuesday as told by the Star.
He added that Jubilee agenda in 2018 was to scuttle reforms in the police sector.
“It appears that the first agenda of the Jubilee regime in the New Year is to complete the undermining of the security sector reforms which the country badly needs in line with the Constitution of 2010.”
In a statement, the former Prime Minister asserted that Uhuru has brought about changes within the security sector to get people who he can “easily manipulate”.
He said the changes were unconstitutional because security players like the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) were not involved contrary to the dictates of the Constitution.
Raila said Uhuru should have informed the public why the top cops were fired.
“Was it because they had failed in their duties? Who identified the replacements?”
“The trend Mr Kenyatta is embarking on, other than going against the spirit of the Constitution, means there no longer exists any fair chance for all Kenyans to access high constitutional offices because the appointment procedure is getting personalized.”
Pundits have however, pointed out that the changes which also roped in the DPP Keriako Tobiko who has since been nominated for a Cabinet post were wanting.
Tobiko and Muhoro reportedly have a strained relationship which makes it hard for investigations and prosecutions to be done.
The new changes which have cleared them out of the office are expected to enhance the DCI and the office of the DPP.