Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya on Friday, May 2, 2025, decried the rampant cases of unresolved police brutality, urging a paradigm shift in dealing with the menace.

The former Rift Valley regional commissioner was speaking following the recent cases of killings in Ong’ata Barrikoi, in Narok County, and the BBC’s documentary ‘Blood Parliament,’ exposing the killers of Gen Z during the June 2024 protests.

The governor advised on the strengthening of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) body to better deal with the role of holding the force accountable.

“We continue to stress that our security apparatus’s job is to protect the property and lives of Kenyans. It doesn’t matter the situation; police should not use lethal force. When necessary, they should do it to mobilise, not to kill,” he said.

To address the worrying trend, the governor advocated for a policy shift targeting those vested with authority who order their juniors to use unnecessary force.

“We have witnessed cases where deaths have been reported, and what we hear is that investigations are being conducted. It’s about time we move from it and deal with people giving the decree to shoot unarmed citizens,” he added.

Natembeya’s plea comes amid mounting calls for police accountability that coincided with the airing of a BBC documentary dubbed Blood Parliament, which highlighted cases of police brutality meted out against Gen Zs during the June 2024 anti-government protest.

The matter has elicited the law enforcers’ response, with the police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga stating that the police will be held responsible for their individual conduct as regards excesses against ordinary citizens.

Speaking on Friday, May 2, 2025, during a ceremony to mark World Press Freedom Day, Muchiri further warned that police officers would be held individually accountable for any misconduct toward media practitioners.

The former ruling party, Kenya African National Union (KANU), also waded into the subject of police accountability.

In a statement shared on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, KANU stated that equipping IPOA to better discharge its mandate is crucial in resolving the abuses of the law enforcers.

Among other measures, KANU recommended robust interventions that include exploring legal reforms that would grant the body the power to make arrests and prosecute individual officers.

The party also called for additional budget allocation to the Ahmed Hassan-led team to help it not only address its resource constraints but also enable it to develop its own forensic lab.

The party contended that such a provision would strengthen the integrity, swiftness, and independence of investigations into crimes committed by police.

“Due to the recurrent denial of access to DCI’s National Forensic Laboratory, the government should avail resources to IPOA to develop its own forensic lab that will be used to independently and exclusively analyse evidence from crime scenes involving police officers,“ part of the press statement read.