By SANDRA MULOMI
Lobbying for the position of Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has intensified as the two-year contract extension of current boss Mohamed Amin nears its end on April 1, 2026.
Sources within the investigative agency say the looming deadline has sparked heightened political maneuvering, with senior government officials, security operatives and influential figures quietly pushing their preferred candidates for the powerful position.
Amin, who turned 65 this year, is also said to be seeking yet another two-year extension of his tenure, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle over leadership of one of Kenya’s most critical security institutions.
Sources intimated to the People Tribune that majority of DCI officers are apparently on a go-slow following reports that President William Ruto is mulling extending Amin’s contract for at least two more years out of the need to maintain stability ahead of the General Election as well as courting the DCI boss’ marginalized Somali community in the polls.
Their fears were exacerbated last week by President Ruto’s decision to extend the contracts of Kenya Airforce Commander Major General Waliaula and his Navy counterpart Major General Paul Owuor Otieno for one and a half year, signaling the President’s intention not to destabilize the security sector ahead of the polls.
The DCI is responsible for investigating major crimes across the country, including corruption, terrorism, economic crimes and organised criminal activity.
The office therefore carries significant influence within the country’s law enforcement and political landscape.
According to sources familiar with developments within the agency, anxiety and tension have gripped both senior and junior officers as speculation grows over whether Amin will be retained at the helm.
Several officers who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed morale within the directorate has been affected by uncertainty surrounding the leadership transition.
Some officers accuse the outgoing director of running the institution in a manner that has alienated larger sections of the workforce.
They describe a leadership style they say is characterised by high-handedness, aloofness and what some insiders allege is a tendency to favour individuals from particular networks and community within the service.
Officers claim that since the exit of former director George Kinoti, they have not been receiving financial facilitations for their operations despite the funds being released by the National Treasury on a quarterly basis.
“The uncertainty is affecting operations because many officers do not know whether there will be a leadership change or whether the current director will remain,” said one senior officer familiar with internal discussions.
Another officer claimed that the atmosphere within the directorate has become increasingly tense as speculation grows over Amin’s future.
“There is anxiety across ranks because people feel the leadership style has created divisions within the organisation,” the officer said.
Two weeks ago, some of the senior officers are said to have felt slighted when Amin promoted some of their juniors to some key positions such as the Investigations Bureau (IB), Personnel and National Criminal Investigations Academy (NCIA). One of the officers promoted is said to have been fished from the Administration Police (AP) and lacks basic investigations skills.
During the 2025 GenZ protests, Amin was on the spotlight for allegedly leading a special unit that was said to have been responsible for the abduction, enforced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killing of ring leaders of the protests, a charge that the DCI boss denied.
But despite his denials, the abductors openly operated in unmarked Subaru cars, fully armed and shooting protesters on sight.
Interestingly, seemingly as a public relations move aimed at Kenyans, Amin formed a 30-member anti-abductions special police unit at the DCI headquarters that never undertook any meaningful work. The unit was never facilitated with funds, vehicles, or office space, forcing its members to operate from the corridors of Mazingira House.
To date, nobody has ever been arrested or prosecuted and neither has Amin ever issued a statement on who was responsible for the abductions.
Ironically, one of the senior officers, Commissioner of Police Zachary Kariuki, who headed the Operation Support Unit (OSU), one of the special units accused to have been behind some of the abductions, appeared to have been rewarded by State house with a two year contract extension.
Sources say State house could be mulling extending Amin’s contract as a reward for the ruthlessness with which he handled the GenZ protesters leading to widespread calls for his removal.
However, other officials close to the matter argue that Amin’s experience in law enforcement and intelligence operations has been instrumental in steering the DCI through complex security challenges.
They say the director has played a key role in strengthening investigative capacity and coordinating with international law enforcement agencies.
Despite these competing views, attention has now shifted to the intense lobbying reportedly underway behind the scenes.
Sources within government circles say Amin is seeking support from influential political figures to secure another extension beyond April.
Among those reportedly backing his bi d is a powerful Cabinet Secretary said to have close access to President William Ruto, as well as several well-connected operatives within State House.
These figures are believed to be lobbying quietly in government corridors in an effort to ensure Amin remains in office on grounds that he should be allowed to oversee the next General Election.
Over the last months, Amin has reportedly been holding closed door meetings with influential leaders from his Somali community amid reports that some businessmen from the community have mobilized funds to push the cause.
If the push succeeds, Amin would make history as the first DCI boss to serve until the age of 67. It would also contradict President Ruto’s directive in 2025 at the height of the GenZ protests to government agencies and ministries not to retain retired civil servants on contract, reinforcing the mandatory retirement age of 60.
“Attention is drawn to Section 80 (1)(a) and (b) of the Public Service Commission Act, 2017, which provides that a public officer shall retire from the service with effect from the date of attaining the mandatory retirement age,” head of Public Service and Chief of Staff Felix Koskei later stated in a memo.
“Further, the section stipulates that the Commission or other appointing authority shall not extend the service of such retired public officer beyond the mandatory retirement age,” Koskei said.
The PSC Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual, 2016, sets civil servants’ mandatory retirement age at 60.
Persons with disabilities are allowed an extra five years and are expected to exit once they are 65 years old.
The possibility of Amin’s second extension has triggered debate among security officials and public administration experts about whether such exceptions should be allowed.
Some insiders believe that retaining Amin could delay the long-anticipated leadership transition within the investigative agency.
“There are many capable senior officers within the DCI who are ready to step up and lead the institution,” said one official familiar with internal dynamics.
Others argue that continuity at the top could help maintain stability within the directorate at a time when Kenya faces increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
Meanwhile, several senior detectives are also said to be positioning themselves as potential successors should the government decide to appoint a new director.
The names of a number of high-ranking officers have been circulating quietly within security circles, although none has been officially confirmed as a frontrunner.
As the April 1 deadline approaches, speculation over the future of the DCI leadership is expected to intensify.
