With the public now angry at the officer captured on camera shooting the mask vendor, former Roots Party deputy presidential running mate Justina Wamae has come out to propose a review of the minimum age requirement for police recruitment.

In a post on her X account on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Wamae suggested that the minimum age for recruitment into the police service should be raised to 25, instead of the current 18.

According to her, the ongoing cases of police brutality are largely due to officers joining the force while still immature. She believes that by the age of 25, an individual would have gone through various life experiences that help them appreciate the sanctity of life.

She further argued that at 25, life has likely humbled a person enough to carry out their duties with empathy and professionalism, rather than the brutality currently being witnessed.

“The required age for joining the police service in Kenya should be increased to 25 years. Hii maneno ya 18-year-old, mtu bado ananunuliwa suruali na mzazi, is the cause of their failure to appreciate the sanctity of life. At 25 years, life has humbled you, and you carry the role with the empathy, respect, and professionalism expected,” Wamae stated.

The requirement age for joining the police service in Kenya should be increased to 25 years. Hii maneno ya 18 year old, mtu bado ananunuliwa suruali na mzazi is the cause of their failure to appreciate the sanctity of life.

At 25 years, life has humbled you and you carry the…

— JUSTINA WAMAE (@justinawamae) June 18, 2025

This reaction and proposal from Justina came a day after the National Police Service confirmed the arrest of one of their officers who was filmed shooting an unarmed civilian at close range during protests in the Central Business District (CBD).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, by spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, the officer was said to have already been apprehended and will be arraigned in court.

“The National Police Service has noted with great concern an incident involving the shooting of an unarmed civilian by a police officer using an anti-riot shotgun within the Nairobi CBD. The said police officer has since been arrested,” the statement read.

Shooting incident

The protests were part of the nationwide demonstrations demanding justice over the death of teacher and digital activist Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody earlier this month.

The video of the shooting went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage. In the clip, the officer is seen aiming and firing at the civilian from close range with an anti-riot weapon, despite no apparent threat posed by the protester.

Condemnation of violence

In the same statement, the police service also condemned what it described as the presence of a group of goons armed with crude weapons who allegedly infiltrated the otherwise peaceful demonstrations.