Top cop speaks on Gen Zs killings within Parliament

Inspector General of Police nominee Douglas Kanja yesterday spoke out for the first time on the June 25 events that saw scores of Gen Z protesters shot dead within the precincts of Parliament.

Kanja, who was serving as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Kenya Police Service at the time was taken to task by lawmakers on whether there was laxity on the part of the National Police Service (NPS) during the invasion of Parliament by hundreds of Gen Z protesters and the attack and torching of City Hall.

While appearing before a joint committee sitting of the National Assembly’s departmental committee on Administration and Internal Security and the Senate’s standing committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations for vetting, Kanja defended the NPS over suggestions that they did not perform their duties well.

Kanja, who had been feted for the successful operation during the 2019 DusitD2 terror attack described the Parliament invasion as his “lowest moment” in the service but said they had learnt vital lessons and would handle such situations better in future.

The top cop who put his net worth at Sh46 million, told MPs that there was a very big number of protesters who managed to block the entire Thika Super Highway, Kiambu Road and the Globe Roundabout, making it difficult for Police to gain entry in to the Central Business District to bring in assistance including water cannons.

He said: “The National Police Service was prepared because we had faced similar issues previously. However, the multitude that turned up during the protests was huge to the extent that they blocked Thika Road, Globe roundabout and as such it was hard to even bring in water cannons because it was hard getting a way out of it.”

When asked if he was happy with the invasion of Parliament yet it is a protected area, he answered in the negative, confessing that this was the “lowest moment” for him. Overall, Kanja said, police managed the situation well.

Kanja who has been in service for 39 years, however, defended police officers who were on duty during the protests and assured the lawmakers that action was being taken on them as the law does not condone Extra Judicial killings.

He said that once he takes over his position as the Inspector General of Police, he will over and above the investigations being done by the National police Service Commission (NPSC) and Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) ask the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) of the police to independently carry out investigations on the said officers.

He said: “It is very true that the Constitution has given the people of Kenya the right to picket. However, it is also true that where one right ends another one begins. To this end it is very clear that there is no country in the world that allows Extra Judicial Killings to take place.”

He added: “In terms of management of demonstration, I want to say that if there was any use of excessive force by an officer, we have ODPP and IPOA. I am aware that even now there are investigations that are ongoing. Any use of force will not be allowed. In addition, if I am appointed as IG I will ask the Internal Affairs Unit to also investigate this matter.” Kanja was responding to questions from Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo who co-chaired the sittings with Baringo Senator William Cheptumo and MPs Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town), Roza Buyu (Kisumu Town West) and senators Tom Ojienda (Kisumu) and Karen Nyamu (Nominated) who sought to know whether there was laxity from the police with regards to how they handled the invasion of parliament and protestors.

Said Tongoyo: “There are reports that when Parliament was invaded and City Hall was burnt down, the police did not have water cannons and fire extinguishers. How come that such a thing could have happened and you did not have even the basic things. Is it laxity from the police?”

Buyu sought to know whether there were any gaps in how the officers handled the matter. She asked: “On parliament invasion, why was the police not able to stop this yet parliament is a security matter?”

Senator Ojienda sought to know what different way he would deal with such an invasion if it recurred again yet he was still in service when the attack occurred.