Gakuya questions IPOA’s relevance, says Ruto’s statement will not heal victims
Embakasi North MP James Gakuya has called into question the effectiveness of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), saying the agency has failed to hold perpetrators of police abuse accountable, particularly in the wake of abductions and extrajudicial killings reported during recent protests.
Speaking on a local media station on May 13, 2025, in response to President William Ruto’s recent statement that abductions “will not happen again”, Gakuya contended that such pronouncements, while welcome, fall short of delivering justice to victims and their families.
“What about the injuries that have already occurred? How do you cure that?” Gakuya questioned.
In a strong rebuke to IPOA, the independent body mandated to oversee police conduct, Gakuya accused it of lacking the capacity to deliver tangible outcomes.
“IPOA, as it is known, seems as if it does not have teeth to bite. And if this is the case, then it is high time it should be disbanded—or else given extraordinary powers so that they can be able to bite enough,” he stated.
He expressed his frustration with IPOA’s handling of investigations, arguing that many cases lead nowhere.
“Whatever it does investigate still goes round and round and never sees the light of day,” he remarked.
Gakuya proposed two options: either terminate and reconstitute the agency or empower it significantly to fulfil its oversight role effectively.
“If this particular agency is not doing anything enough, then what should be done is to terminate it and reconstitute or look for more teeth and give it, so that it can be able to bite enough,” he said.
Parliamentary oversight
The MP called for Parliament to take a more active role in investigating the recent disappearances and deaths, arguing that the parliamentary committees tasked with overseeing security and human rights have failed to act decisively.
“And, at this particular moment, the parliament ought to have a report so that that report, including any other reports that the government itself might arise with, can be able to shape a way to settle this problem,” he stated.
According to him, the chair of the relevant committee should have already begun investigations and tabled a report outlining the causes of recent disappearances and deaths linked to state security agencies.
“And I would think that, in fact, the chair of that particular committee should have taken a stride to start investigations on the whereabouts of these young ones and the cause of these extrajudicial killings and who caused this,” he added.
Ruto’s defence
Gakuya’s remarks come in response to Ruto’s statement on May 12, 2025, during a joint media briefing with Finnish President Alexander Stubb at State House, where he asserted that all Kenyans who had been abducted in recent weeks had since been returned to their homes and families.
”There is an accountability mechanism to make sure that that situation is attended to and a proper accountability mechanism is put in place. I undertook to the country that is a democracy and robustly so, Kenyans must not, as it has happened in the past, where Kenyans disappeared and their bodies found in all manner of places, and that will not happen under my administration. All the people who disappeared or were abducted have been brought back to their families and their homes,” he stated.
Ruto further announced that he had issued instructions to security agencies to end abductions and extrajudicial actions.
“I have given clear and firm instructions that that kind of nature will not happen again,” he added.
