Parliament Approves Ojwang as New IPOA Chairperson Amid Credentials Row
August 2026
The National Assembly approved Dr Duncan Ojwang Oburu as the new chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on Wednesday, clearing the way for him to take over Kenya’s civilian police watchdog. MPs adopted a report from the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on August 19, 2026, formally endorsing his nomination.
President William Ruto put Ojwang’s name forward in July, and Parliament then took up the vetting and approval process. He steps in for Justice Ahmed Issack Hassan, who left the seat after his appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. In the meantime, IPOA Vice Chairperson Anne Wanjiku Mwangi had been running the authority in an acting capacity.
Credential Concerns Raised
Not everyone is happy with how fast the process moved. Law Society of Kenya president Charles Kanjama and former Attorney-General Githu Muigai both flagged concerns that Ojwang may be missing mandatory legal credentials for the post. Despite those objections, the vetting committee, chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, pressed ahead with its recommendation.
The Nation’s coverage frames the committee’s speed as a problem in itself, arguing that rushing the approval despite the credential questions risks undermining public confidence in IPOA. That claim has not been echoed elsewhere in the material reviewed for this piece, so readers should treat it as one outlet’s assessment rather than a settled fact. Parliament’s own committee, for its part, judged Ojwang qualified and worthy of confirmation, as reported separately by Kenyans.co.ke.
New Oversight Proposals
During his vetting session on August 12, Ojwang pledged to protect IPOA’s independence and to strengthen how it oversees the police. He also laid out ideas for modernising police accountability. Specifically, he proposed wider use of body cameras and CCTV systems, arguing the technology could help cut down on police brutality and deaths in custody.
Those pledges matter because of what IPOA actually does. The authority is mandated to provide civilian oversight of the National Police Service, investigate complaints and deaths linked to police action, and promote accountability. For families who have lost relatives in police custody or during operations, the person sitting in that chair has real influence over whether their complaints ever go anywhere.
What Comes Next
Ojwang cannot start the job immediately. His approval now awaits formal communication to Parliament before he can be sworn in. That final step is usually procedural, but given the credentials dispute raised by Kanjama and Muigai, it is worth watching whether anyone tries to challenge the appointment in court before he takes office.
For ordinary Kenyans, the bigger question is whether a change of leadership actually changes how IPOA behaves. The authority has long faced criticism for slow investigations and weak follow-through on police misconduct cases. Ojwang’s promises on body cameras and CCTV sound good on paper, but whether Parliament or the Treasury will fund that kind of equipment rollout is a separate fight that hasn’t been settled yet.
