Former Kenya police chief Major General (Rtd) Mohammed Hussein Ali once stood at the centre of the country’s security establishment, but when an opportunity reportedly emerged for him to return to the top police job under President Uhuru Kenyatta, he chose retirement instead.
Ali, who served as Commissioner of Police between 2004 and 2009, was reportedly considered for the position of Inspector General of Police after David Kimaiyo resigned in December 2014.
The reported approach came at a critical moment for Kenya’s security sector, with the Jubilee administration facing growing pressure over terrorism, crime and the effectiveness of the National Police Service.
According to contemporary media reports, influential elders were sent to Ali’s residence in Karen in an attempt to persuade him to accept the position. The former police boss, however, reportedly declined the proposal.
Ali had already accumulated decades of experience in Kenya’s security services by the time the reported offer was made. He joined the Kenya Army in 1977 and rose through the ranks before President Mwai Kibaki appointed him Commissioner of Police in 2004.
His appointment was notable because he came from a military background rather than rising through the ranks of the police force.
During his tenure, Ali pushed for several reforms aimed at changing the way the police operated. His administration was associated with efforts to improve police recruitment, housing, equipment and promotions, while community policing was also promoted as part of efforts to strengthen relations between officers and the public.
He also became closely associated with the introduction of the “Alcoblow” breathalyser campaign, which targeted motorists suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.
But Ali’s time at the helm of the police was also marked by controversy.
His command came under scrutiny over allegations of excessive use of force and extrajudicial killings, particularly during operations targeting suspected criminal gangs. His name later featured prominently in investigations into Kenya’s 2007-2008 post-election violence.
The International Criminal Court prosecutor included Ali among the Kenyan suspects investigated over the violence. Although the ICC case against him did not proceed to trial, the proceedings became an important chapter in his public career.
In September 2009, President Kibaki moved Ali from the police to the Postal Corporation of Kenya, where he subsequently served as chief executive.
He eventually retired from public service, bringing to an end a career that had taken him through the military, police leadership and the management of a major state corporation.
It was against this background that the reported attempt to lure him back into active security leadership became significant.
Reports indicated that Ali was reluctant to return to the position he had previously occupied. His experience with the police and the legal scrutiny surrounding his tenure appeared to have shaped his decision to remain outside government.
In comments reported at the time, Ali was quoted as describing a return to the position he had already left as potentially “suicidal”, signalling his determination to remain retired.
The government ultimately looked elsewhere.
Joseph Boinett was eventually selected to succeed Kimaiyo and was appointed Inspector General of Police in March 2015. He became the second holder of the position created under Kenya’s 2010 Constitution and went on to serve until 2019.
Ali’s reported refusal remains an intriguing episode in Kenya’s recent security history. It highlighted the dilemma facing a retired security chief who had already occupied one of the country’s most powerful law-enforcement positions.
For Ali, the decision was ultimately to stay away from the police command he had once controlled.
Rather than return to the security establishment under a new administration, the former police chief opted to preserve his retirement, closing the possibility of a second stint at the top of Kenya’s police service.