State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed confirmed Koome's resignation on Friday, July 12, 2024.
Mohamed said President Ruto had accepted Koome's decision to step aside and named the Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service as the Acting IG, pending the appointment of a new police boss.
"HIS EXCELLENCY William Samoei Ruto, Ph.D., CGH, President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, has on this 12th day of July, 2024, accepted the resignation of Eng. Japheth N. Koome, MGH, as the Inspector General of the National Police Service,"
Mohamed announced.
The Kenyan Head of State also effected various changes within the senior police ranks. In the changes, Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service, Noor Gabow, was redeployed the Public Service.
Koome has been under fire over excessive force used by the police during the anti-tax protests that rocked Kenya in recent weeks. At least 39 people were killed and dozens others injured during the protests witnessed in various parts of the country.
He was accused of remaining silent as police used live ammunition on protesters in the capital Nairobi. Police were also linked to abductions of young people believed to be the ringleaders of the 'Gen Z' led protests.
The changes in the police service come a day after President Ruto dismissed his entire Cabinet, sparing only the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who doubles as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
The decision was taken 'upon reflection, and a holistic appraisal' of the Cabinet, the Kenyan Head of State said in a televised address.
He pledged to engage in 'extensive consultations' to form a 'broad-based' new government.
Some of the fired Cabinet Secretaries had lost public confidence due to poor performance and wastage of public resources, prompting demands for their removal from office.
Prior to this, Ruto had made several concessions including withdrawing the controversial Finance Bill 2024, which sought to raise $2.7 billion in additional taxes for the government.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/kenya-s-police-boss-resigns-amid-brutality-allegations
