The Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) Issack Hassan has lamented that employees of the oversight body are tired.
Speaking to the press, Hassan explained that the authority was finding it difficult to perform its duties, including investigations into abduction cases because it is understaffed.
Hassan explained that the scope of work was too big and the staff at IPOA were overwhelmed and overworked.
Further, he indicated that despite an already approved staff establishment, the authority had not been allocated the necessary budget to allow them to hire more staff.
“Investigations is where the core of the work is. So, imagine investigating a staff of 600 and we are only 77. The ones we have are already overworked because there is burnout,” he said.
Also Read: DPP Issues Ultimatum to IG Kanja and IPOA Over Abduction of 6 Kenyans
How Many More Staff Does IPOA Need
According to the boss, the authority only has 284 staff, out of the approved 1300.
Additionally, he said that the police force was increasingly recruiting new officers, adding to the already 120,000 officers across the country.
Only 77 officers from IPOA had been delegated to investigate cases, and they could not comprehensively investigate all the officers across the nation.
“IPOA has approved staff establishment of 1300. It is supposed to oversight a police force that was formed 135 years ago and has 120,000 officers spread across the whole country. So, you can imagine the scope of work.
“And despite the staff-approved establishment, we have 284 staff. Out of this 77 are investigators,” he explained.
Hassan plans to meet with the committee on administrational justice and national security to demand more funding towards hiring more officers.
“We are going back to parliament to meet with the committee on administrational justice and national security and get them to give us more funding,” noted the IPOA boss.
Also Read: IPOA Goes to Court to Call for Arrest of Police Commanders
In December 2024, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga asked IPOA to expedite investigations into the reported cases of abductions and alleged forced disappearances of citizens.
They were also directed to forward the resultant files for perusal and action or provide an update on the investigations within three days, but that did not happen
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