Fred Matiang’i, the Interior Cabinet Secretary has declared war on rogue police officers following a closed-door meeting with high ranking government officials and civil society groups just days after uproar over increasing cases of police brutality in the country.
A report by the Daily Nation has indicated that the meeting, which was held on Friday, June 5, resolved to take stern action against officers who will be found guilty of meting violence on Kenyans.
Speaking during the meeting, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji noted that 176 cases were in the pipeline after the files were forwarded to his office following investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Out of the 176, charges for 85 have already been pressed, 23 of which are accused of murder. Haji disclosed that the rest were being reviewed for appropriate action.
The human rights representatives decried a spike in police brutality cases since President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the dusk-to-dawn curfew to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
The civil society groups recounted that police, even without apparent justification, shot and beat people at markets or returning home from work, even before the daily start of the curfew.
The groups added that police have also broken into homes and shops, extorted money from residents or looted food in locations across the country.
On March 30, following criticism from various groups over abuses in Mombasa, including by Human Rights Watch, President Uhuru Kenyatta apologized generally about police use of force.
“It is shocking that people are losing their lives and livelihoods while supposedly being protected from infection,” said Otsieno Namwaya, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Police brutality isn’t just unlawful; it is also counterproductive in fighting the spread of the virus.”
The team demanded that IPOA and human-rights organisations be recognised by the state as providing essential services.
Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) chair Anne Makori and 20 human-rights groups were represented at the meeting.
On the night of Wednesday, June 1, night riots erupted in Mathare after an old man was shot dead on his way back home.
Former Mabatini MCA aspirant, Patrick Juma Ojiambo, told Kenyans.co.ke that the old man, commonly known as Vaite was reportedly shot at by the police after they confronted him for being found outside past curfew.
According to Juma, the 7:10 p.m incident forced residents to light fires and riot against the police. Vaite’s case was just the latest in a spike of police violence against citizens.
Police officer Duncan Ndiema Ndiwa is facing murder charges after allegedly shooting a young boy, Lotugh Angorita who was watching the evening pass at the balcony of his mother’s house.
