Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has shed light on the killings of the Gen Z protestors during his tenure as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior.
Speaking during a joint media interview on Thursday night, December 19, 2024, in Karen Nairobi County, Kindiki disclosed that the anti-government protests led to the loss of lives in various ways including through police brutality.
When asked whether he takes responsibility for the killing of the protestors, the second in command stated categorically that he has no reason to take responsibility for anything adding that the Interior CS has no role in police operations especially when engaging protestors.
“The violent protests that early this year and even earlier in 2023, unfortunately, led to the loss of lives, some of those lives were lost in various ways including through police action.
“I have no reason to take responsibility for anything because a space of violence and encounter with law enforcement is a space which is defined by law and the role of the minister for the interior is defined in the constitution in article 245 what that role is and that role includes providing policy guidance to the organs of internal security,”
“The Interior minister has no role in police operations therefore police operations especially in engaging protestors, is the province of the independent command of the Inspector General of the National Police Service,” Kindiki said.
He went on to say that the police are allowed to use force including lethal force in exceptional circumstances, however when any officer excites the parameter of the constitution they are on their own and that the interior ministry does not take accountability.
“Police officers are allowed to use force in exceptional circumstances, should any officer violate the strict parameters of those circumstances they are accountable under the law,”
“Any police officer who uses their firearms lawfully within the constitution including lethal force has the protection but any of them who excite the parameter of the constitution is on their own and the organs of accountability is not the interior minister is the agencies such as IPOA and DPP and the rest,” he added.
Q: Do you take responsibility for the murder of 60 people during the anti-finance bill according to KNCHR?
— K24 TV (@K24Tv) December 19, 2024
DP Kindiki: I have no reason to take responsibility for anything. The Interior minister has no role in police operations. pic.twitter.com/gZbdpCa775
