President William Ruto appointed Renson Mulele Ingonga as the country’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and was sworn-in on Monday, September 25.
Mulele succeeded Noordin Haji who served in the position for five years and is before the President appointed him as the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
During his swearing in ceremony, the former assistant DPP vowed to protect, administer, and defend the constitution and exercise his duties to uphold the dignity and respect of the criminal justice system in Kenya.
“I will defend this constitution and exercise constitutional functions entrusted to me with a view to upholding the dignity and the respect for the criminal justice system of Kenya,” Mulele affirmed.
In his new office, the Director of Public Prosecutions is required to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court.
Moreover, the DPP also has the power to take over and continue any criminal proceedings commenced in any court or discontinue any proceedings in a court of law in which the defendant shall be acquitted.
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DPP Gross Salary
Nonetheless, according to the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC), Renson Mulele Ingonga will earn a monthly gross salary of Ksh 819,844.
This gross salary amount includes a basic salary of Ksh 491,906, and a house allowance of Ksh 150,000. Likewise, DPP Mulele’s salary market adjustment stands at Ksh177,938.
According to the SRC, salary market adjustment is the salary modification that considers the salary market positioning. Simply put, salary market adjustments are changes made on salaries in relation to the market salary range and current economic times.
Renson Mulele Ingonga’s Allowances
As a state officer, Renson Mulele will enjoy medical benefits including a yearly medical cover that shall be provided to him, one spouse and up to four children under twenty-five years who are fully dependent on him.
The cover shall be valued at Ksh10 million for inpatient and Ksh300,000 for outpatient services.
Also, maternity allowances will be capped at Ksh. 150,000, dental allowances at Ksh. 75,000, and optical allowances for another Ksh.75,000.
Further, according to the SRC, the state officer is granted official transport of an official car of engine capacity not exceeding 3000cc.
Similarly, Mulele will also enjoy a car loan of up to Ksh8 million and a house mortgage of up to Ksh35 million.
For his annual leave, he shall receive an allowance of Ksh. 50,000 per year.
President Ruto’s Advice to the New DPP
Moreover, President Ruto who witnessed Renson Mulele’s swearing in ceremony called on the newly sworn in Director of Public Investigations, to confront corruption head-on, without fear or favor.
The Head of State noted that, corruption is one of the most difficult challenges currently facing public offices in Kenya.
“Corruption is one of the challenges facing Kenya today because it is a significant barrier to the realization of our shared aspirations as a nation,” President Ruto said.
He further noted that graft has become a barrier to the realization of the country’s shared aspirations.
“As you have heard, mambo ni matatu and you know one of them, it is up to you to discharge, you have a duty to ensure that the property of the people of Kenya is not abused or stolen,” the president added.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions draws its mandate from the Constitution of Kenya 2010 together with the ODPP Act 2013.
In this case, he is given the powers to direct the Inspector-General of the National Police Service to investigate any information or allegation of criminal conduct.
The Office of the DPP was alienated from the office of the Attorney General in 2011 after the promulgation of the new constitution in 2010.
Accordingly, Ingonga will serve as the third DPP since the promulgation of the constitution.
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Additionally, the Office of the DPP has security of tenure of eight years.
This means that, his stay in office can only be contested in a petition to the Public Service Commission which is then listened to by a tribunal appointed by the president.
