Prominent lawyer and constitutional activist Willis Otieno has delivered a scathing rebuke of Kenya’s police service, accusing them of abandoning their mandate to maintain law and order to serve the political interests of legacy politicians.

In an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, June 19, 2025, Otieno challenged the Cabinet Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen on the prevailing narrative around police reforms and the recent handling of public protests.

Otieno criticized what he described as a growing trend where police officers are deployed not to ensure safety and calm during demonstrations, but to actively suppress political dissent.

“What do you mean?” he questioned rhetorically. “The police have agreed to be taken over by legacy politicians so that that policeman who was shooting poor believers… I am continuing to demonstrate to him, in his eyes, that I am doing it to the benefit of my political cause. They are no longer serving the people. They are serving legacy politicians.”

According to Otieno, police reforms cannot be reduced to purchasing equipment or modernizing weaponry. He warned that such an approach only strengthens the state’s ability to suppress citizens rather than protect them.

“You’ve now equipped that rogue militia with modern weapons and technology that they can use to brutalize the people of Kenya,” he said.

Otieno was particularly outraged by recent incidents where demonstrators were met with excessive force. He accused the state of using the police to crush legitimate political expression.

“When the Police are deployed during demonstrations, they are not deployed to maintain law and order. They are deployed to undermine a political cause that the political leaders are uncomfortable with,” he reiterated.

He recounted chilling scenes of police forces outside City Hall, implying a coordinated effort led by political figures.

“Even those deployed with guns, we saw them outside City Hall shouting their allegiance. We cannot have legacy politicians saying one thing today, and doing the opposite tomorrow, then denying it when it’s not politically convenient,” he said.

The lawyer also reflected on the tragic case of Albert Ojwang, whose arrest and subsequent death in police custody has reignited debate over police brutality.

“We are here today because some decided not to complain against Albert Ojwang, and when Albert was arrested and driven over 300 kilometres to Nairobi, placed in a police cell to be punished — he died,” Otieno lamented.

 “When someone is tortured inside a police station until they die, the problem cannot be solved by saying we’ve had reforms because we bought CCTV or mobile armour.”

Police reforms?

For Otieno, true reform must begin with the Constitution — specifically Article 239, which states that the police must remain subordinate to civilian authority. He offered a tangible, community-driven solution: establishing local civilian oversight committees at every police station.

“Why is there no civilian local committee for every police station in this country?” he asked.

 “The people served by each station should elect their oversight committee. They should be allowed to inspect the Occurrence Book (OB), visit the cells, and ask critical questions — like why an inmate is not receiving medical attention or why someone has not been admitted to bail.”

He added that these committees should have full access to deployment records, including issued firearms and their usage.

 “If a bullet was fired, to whom was it fired? Who fired it? Is it recorded? In what circumstances?” he demanded. “Reforms must uphold the rights of citizens — not equip the police with better tools to hurt them.”

Otieno emphasized that while many working groups have been formed and numerous reform proposals are written, the lack of implementation and political will continues to stall real change.

“We must go down to the root of this issue,” he concluded. “Why are we here? We must never lose sight of that.”