Govt gazettes new Police Amendment Bill

GOVERNMENT on Monday gazetted the new Police Amendment Bill, which includes provisions that will ensure that the Commissioner-General of Police is appointed by the President in consultation with the minister responsible for police.

The Bill will also align the tenure of the office of the Commissioner-General of Police with section 221 (2) of the Constitution, while the functions of the Commissioner-General will be aligned with section 221 (4) of the Constitution.

Section 223 (1) (a) of the Bill will also give the Commissioner-General powers to appoint competent persons to hold posts or ranks in the police service.

The proposed law will also align provisions relating to appointment, promotion, discharge, retirement and conditions of service of members of the police service with provisions of the Constitution.

Legal think-tank Veritas said the newly gazetted Police Amendment Bill 2023 should undergo all normal stages of a new Bill before Parliament as it was brought before the House in 2021 but was not completed.

“This Bill replaces the Police Amendment Bill HB2021 which lapsed in November 2021 at the end of the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament and has not been restored to the National Assembly Order Paper for the present Fifth Session,” Veritas said.

Previously, stakeholders from the security sector had expressed misgivings over provisions of the Police Amendment Bill.

They were of the view that certain provisions, if enacted, would have detrimental effects on effective policing and ultimately on national security.