Bill seeks age cap and term limits for top police chiefs

Future heads of the National Police Service may not be allowed to serve past the age of 60 if a proposed law seeking to set an age cap and term limit for senior leadership is approved by Parliament.

Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, while appearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Administration and Internal Security, said his proposed National Police Service (Amendment) Bill 2025 aims to fill a legal gap regarding the maximum age for officers serving as Inspector General (IG) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG).

He explained that the amendment is intended to align the police service with other public service standards and support leadership succession.

“There is a lacuna in the current law on the age limit for the two senior most positions in the service,” Kaunya said during his presentation on Wednesday.

The committee, chaired by Vice Chairperson Dado Rasso, welcomed the proposal but encouraged the MP to broaden the Bill by addressing promotion challenges within the service. Rasso noted that some junior officers have overtaken more experienced and better-trained colleagues, causing confusion in the ranks.

“One of the challenges we may be having at NPS is the idea of officers overtaking each other where a junior person suddenly becomes the boss of a much older, experienced and well trained officer, this must be captured in the Bill,” Rasso said.

He also suggested that Kaunya engage with Kenya Defence Forces representatives to learn from their rigid command structure, which he said has managed to avoid such leadership problems.

According to the Bill, its main objective is to amend the National Police Service Act Cap 84 to introduce an age cap of 60 years for individuals nominated and appointed to the positions of IG and DIG. It further proposes a term limit for DIGs, who are currently exempted from the mandatory retirement age.

The proposal also aims to promote a balance between retaining experienced leaders and enabling a clear path for succession within the police service. It emphasizes the need for officers in these senior positions to meet the mental and physical demands of their roles.

“Security work is demanding and requires someone who is fit. While experience is valuable, we must not leave this gap unaddressed. This proposal helps close that loophole and ensures a capable and agile police leadership,” Kaunya said.

Clause 2 of the Bill seeks to repeal the existing Section 11 of the NPS Act, which outlines qualifications for appointment as both IG and DIG.

The proposed replacement will instead detail only the qualifications and disqualifications for the IG position, including a clause that disqualifies any person who has reached 60 years of age at the time of appointment.

Clause 4 introduces new sections 11A and 11B on the appointment of DIGs. While the current provisions under Section 13 remain, the new clause brings in a one-term limit for those appointed to the DIG post.

Kaunya told the committee that the existing law allows both IG and DIGs to serve for four years as provided in the Constitution, and his bill does not seek to amend that part.

However, he stressed that aligning the retirement age with the Public Service Commission’s standard of 60 years, except for persons with disabilities whose limit is 65, will ensure the top leadership remains capable and consistent with broader public service norms.

“This law will help us eliminate lacuna and make sure we have capable officers at the top at all times. My request is that the committee considers passing this bill so that we can be able to improve our NPS management and command at the top level,” he said.

Kaunya also noted that the Bill opens room for future reforms around ranking and promotion to improve professionalism and leadership order in the service.