The New Inspector General of Police, Japheth Koome.
Japheth Koome was sworn into office by Chief Justice Martha Koome on November 11th 2022 after he was appointed by President William Ruto to head the police service a few hours after the 5th President named his cabinet.
Ruto was prompted to appoint a new Inspector General of Police after the then IG Hilary Mutyambai proceeded on a terminal leave citing health complications. Following health complications, Deputy Inspector General of Police had been appointed in acting capacity until when a substantive Inspector General would be appointed.
With the swearing in of Inspector General Japheth Koome, Acting Inspector General Noordin Garbow will now retain his substantive position as one of the three Deputy Inspector Generals.
Inspector General Japheth Koome was recruited as a graduate constable in 1981 and after mandatory police training he was posted in Nairobi where he served before being transferred to Gilgil under Anti-Stock Theft Police Unit.
While serving in Gilgil as an Anti-Stock Theft police, Japheth Koome was promoted to the rank of an inspector. In the year 1998, Koome was transferred to Buruburu Police Station as the Deputy Divisional Commander.
Following the 1998 United States Embassy Bomb blast, Mr Japheth Koome who was then serving as the Deputy Divisional Commander at Buruburu Police Station was among police officers who travelled to United States of America for anti-terrorism training at Louisiana Police Training Academy.
Upon returning back to the country, Mr Japheth Koome was transferred from Buruburu to Machakos and promoted to an OCPD. He did not stay in Machakos for long before he was later recalled to Buruburu Police Station as an OCPD.
In 2002, crime rate sky rocketed in the city center. Bank robberies intensified and the now Inspector General of Police was transferred from Buruburu to city centre to specifically deal with bank robberies.
After dealing with bank robberies in the city, Koome was recalled to Kenya Police Headquarters where he was tasked with being incharge of police housing in 2005. Koome was later promoted to be the director of policy and planning at the police headquarters until.
In 2015, the now Inspector General of Police promoted to be the Nairobi County Commandant to deal with organized crimes and increased criminal gangs which were terrorizing the city residents. Koome served as the police commandant Nairobi County for two years neutralizing organized criminal gangs.
After 2017 Koome was recalled to the Kenya Police Service where he served as a Principal Deputy Inspector General for two years before being promoted to be the commandant of the National Police Training College, Kiganjo where he has been serving till his appointment to head the Police Service.
Koome will now serve for a period of four years continuously and will not be eligible for another tenure in office and maybe removed from office if he violates the constitution, declared bankrupt, is mentally or physically incapacitated or if he is found guilty of gross misconduct while in office.
The huge task head for IG Japheth Koome is dismantling organized gangs across the country which sprouted prior to the general election and have been terrorizing citizens.
