Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen has revealed major challenges facing the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

In a meeting with the top IPOA hierarchy on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Murkomen promised to help the state body resolve the challenges it faces.

“The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) plays an important role in enhancing the professionalism of our police service. They do this by holding them accountable to the law in the execution of their duties, training them on human rights, advocating for their welfare, and sensitizing members of the public on police work.

“Met the IPOA board and senior management led by the chair, Amhed Issack Hassan, this morning. We discussed strategies to improve the effectiveness of the organization in discharging its mandate. Some of the limitations the authority is facing revolve around staffing, decentralization, resources, and coordination with stakeholders, which we agreed to resolve as a matter of urgency,” Murkomen said in a statement on X.

Abductions

IPOA is one of the state agencies that has faced public criticism for a very long time, with some claiming it is an inefficient body. Others have pointed out that it lacks the willingness to deal with rogue police officers.

In recent times, abductions have been a debate that has dominated the national discourse, and IPOA has had fingers pointed at it with accusations of being unable to stop the security agents from overstepping their mandate.

However, in a statement, IPOA promised to investigate and recommend the prosecution of police officers who are engaged in the illegal activities of abductions.

“The Independent Policing Oversight Authority is concerned with the rising cases of abductions of various persons allegedly by members of the National Police Service (NPS). This is after reports of the abductions emerged in mainstream media and in social media. The victims include Messrs. Bill Mwangi, Peter Muteti Njeru, Bernard Kavuli, and a fourth yet-to-be-identified person.

“The abduction incidents occurred on various dates in December 2024 across the Embu, Nairobi, and Kajiado counties.

In line with provisions of Section 6(a) of the IPOA Act, which obligates the Authority to investigate any complaints related to disciplinary or criminal offences committed by any member of the Service, Rapid Response Teams were dispatched to the areas of incidents with instructions to obtain all information that may be relevant in unveiling the circumstances surrounding the abductions and whether there was police involvement as generally alleged.

“Where fault is found, the Authority shall make recommendations for prosecution, internal disciplinary action, or any other appropriate relief, and shall make public the responses received to these recommendations,” IPOA said in a recent statement.

The authority called upon the Inspector General of Police to take urgent measures to stop abductions in the country.