Division over police role in Kenya

BY BINTU JIDDA KANEMPRESS

21TH JULY, 2023

Kenyan President William Ruto has praised its police force for ensuring peace during the recent protests.

But a leading rights group has described the police action as “an act of terrorism”.

Over the past four months, demonstrations have led to deaths of 10 people being shot by police last week and six people died on Wednesday in clashes with the police.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), an NGO, described the police role “a troubling pattern to show that the use of lethal force were premeditated”.

Mr Ruto characterised the response as the police protecting people and property.

“I congratulate the police for standing firm, for ensuring peace prevails and ensuring that all criminals are dealt with,” Mr Ruto said.

No official death toll but Amnesty International said that police killed at least 30 people since March, during the anti-government protests.

A member of a civil society network monitoring the police response to protesters in the western counties of Kisumu and Migori said that security forces enforced “a shoot-to-kill order”.

The activist, said the civil society has photographic evidence of people shot in the back with live ammunition.

“Last week on Wednesday, one police officer refused to follow the order to shoot at protesters and was beaten up by his colleagues and was hospitalised.”

The opposition had called for rallies against new taxes and the rising cost of living.