Senior officers within the National Police Service have embarked on intense lobbying for the post of the Prisons Commissioner General as the tenure of incumbent Isaiah Osugo lapses this year.
High-ranking officers at Prisons Department, Vigilance House, Police headquarters, Jogoo House and at the Mazingira are openly campaigning within the security circles to clinch the lucrative post.
Osugo’s tenure ends this year following controversial extension of his term for two more years after he attained the mandatory retirement age in 2016. “A number of officers have expressed interest in the post as the current Prisons Commissioner general prepares to retire.” Sources privy to the succession intimated.
Osugo’s term was extended for two more years alongside that of Northeastern Prisons Officer Tawane Gudal after they attained the retirement age two years ago.
However, the Employment and Labour Relations Court temporarily suspended extension of term in office for the duo after activist Okiya Omtatah moved to court to protest extension of their term in office saying it was unlawful. Osugo has held the post for a decade now since 2008 when former President Mwai Kibaki appointed him to his current post in 2008. He formerly served in the Nairobi head of Criminal Investigations.
They will continue to serve, despite a clear government policy that no civil servant should work past retirement age. The decision has caused anxiety, especially among mid-level commanders, who were angling to succeed the two.
Last year, Osugo made drastic redployment of senor officers in the Prisons department that saw Duncan Ogore appointed Regional Commander in charge of Rift Valley. Emaase Okodi was appointed the substantive in charge Western region after he was moved from Kakamega while Julius Adero was appointed deputy regional commander Kisumu County.