Probe, prosecute trigger-happy cops
After days of living in denial over the deaths of unarmed protesters in the recent anti-tax riots, the government seems to have grudgingly decided to take action.
During a Cabinet meeting yesterday at State House, the government indicated that it is now determined to follow up on officers who may have acted outside the confines of the law.
The promise by the Cabinet, the country’s top decision-making body, to ensure that the trigger-happy police officers are dealt with in accordance with legal procedures and by the institutions mandated to do so are dealt with should provide some relief to dozens of families mourning the deaths of loved ones.
Since President Daniel arap Moi’s days in power, the Kenyan government has earned the dubious distinction of protecting and honouring police officers accused of killing unarmed individuals during any protest against the authorities.
Disturbingly, police officers seem to have criminalised the constitutional right to protest.
As such, officers have always used heavy-handed tactics targeting peaceful protesters and government critics. Nearly every anti-government protest has featured dozens of deaths and life-threatening injuries caused by shots from police guns.
Today, the Kenya Kwanza administration is faced with a grim reminder of the dark old days — killings, maiming, abductions, and disruptions of demonstrations.
Last week, police shot young, unarmed protesters outside Parliament, with the shootings and killings going into the night. Reports show that police shot several people in Githurai in Nairobi — one of them over 40 times —between 10pm and 1am, way after the protests had ended.
As of today, the Police Reforms Working Group that includes the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, has recorded at least 40 deaths nationwide caused by police shootings.
There were over 300 arrests, 22 abductions and over 300 injuries.
Responsibility for these killings lies squarely with President William Ruto and his government, even though he was not present on the streets. He cannot escape accountability. The police commanders are equally liable.
