Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome Kanja on Monday appeared before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to respond to concerns over the National Police Service’s (NPS) refusal to grant audit access to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
The session centered on the contentious issue of NPS’s denial of access to its payroll systems a move that has raised red flags over transparency and accountability in the service’s financial operations. The NPSC, mandated with oversight of human resource functions in the police service, was reportedly barred from conducting a comprehensive audit of the payroll, prompting questions from MPs about potential misuse of public funds or ghost workers.
Established under Standing Order 205, the PAC is charged with scrutinizing the expenditure of public funds to ensure they are used as approved by Parliament. The committee also has the authority to review any financial records that may be relevant to safeguarding sound fiscal management.
Committee Chairperson John Mbadi emphasized the need for cooperation between government institutions, stating that any obstruction of financial oversight could erode public trust. “No entity should be exempt from scrutiny, especially when dealing with public resources,” he said.
IG Kanja, however, defended the decision, citing operational sensitivity and national security concerns. He maintained that while transparency is essential, certain systems within the police service contain information that, if exposed, could compromise security operations.
Lawmakers pressed for a balance between transparency and security, calling for frameworks that allow oversight without breaching sensitive information protocols.
The PAC has demanded further documentation from the NPS and intends to summon top officials from both the NPS and NPSC to clarify their mandates and cooperation mechanisms.
The standoff underscores ongoing tensions between independent constitutional commissions and state agencies over accountability and jurisdiction in public service governance.
