KANU unveils proposal to help IPOA address cases of police misconduct
The Kenya African National Union (KANU) has unveiled a five-point plan agenda aimed at strengthening the Independent Policing Oversight Authority’s (IPOA) capacity to hold police officers accountable.
In a statement dated Wednesday, April 30, 2025, the body decried the rampant cases of police citing 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.
While noting the challenges facing the independent body, KANU reiterated its desire to realise an agency that works effectively, efficiently, and independently.
As a mitigation, KANU has recommended robust interventions that include exploring legal reforms that would grant the body the power to make arrests and prosecute individual officers.
“That the National Assembly explore legal reforms that would grant IPOA prosecutorial powers against police officers implicated in crime. Its current reliance on the ODPP under the multi-agency framework causes undue delays in the prosecution of police officers suspected of committing crimes and often results in justice being denied or deferred,” one of KANU’s proposals read.
The party has also asked 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 contends 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 analyze evidence from crime scenes involving police officers, “part of the press statement read in parts.
Additionally, the former ruling party has called for the establishment of specially designated courts to hear and determine criminal cases involving police officers upon making arrests.
The party’s clamour for IPOA reforms comes after a section of politicians came out to condemn the deadly incidents in the Ang’ata-Barikoi in Narok County.
Senate leader of the majority party, Aaron Cheruiyot, challenged the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to arrest police officers involved in the killing of at least six people during the protest over the subdivision of a parcel of land in the area.
Speaking during a peace meeting, which was attended by Kanja and the Director of DCI, Mohamed Amin, among other security chiefs and local leaders, Cheruiyot said the deaths were unforgivable and that action must be taken without delay.
“Bwana IG, people were shot dead yesterday like animals by policemen working under your command. Is it that we have people unqualified to be police officers operating in the services as a result of the widespread corruption in the recruitment process?” Cheruiyot posed.
“In the past, police would immobilise aggressive protesters; where did this style of shooting people to kill them come from, IG? Surely, IG, you don’t want that to be your legacy. You don’t want that to be the thing that your children will remember after you have left office,” he said.
Adding, “Don’t leave this place without taking action on the officers you have been told about.”
