On Saturday, an official from the Ministry of Interior called out a lawyer for his remarks on police brutality implicating Interior Cabinet Secretary nominee Kithure Kindiki.
Kenny Kaburu, the Strategic Communication Expert at the Ministry, argued that the lawyer was using old incidents to blame Kindiki, who served as the CS interior.
"As a lawyer, we expect you to uphold a sense of professionalism and basic ethics. Spreading misinformation is a clear violation of your professional duties," he wrote.
Kaburu further added that the lawyer should allow justice to prevail and avoid dragging Kindiki's name in the mud through old situations when he was not in power at the ministry.
However, the Ministry of Interior has yet to issue its official stance on the video.
In the said video, police officers were captured beating up a student from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in 2019.
In response, the lawyer argued that despite the video being years old, the same was still occurring especially during the ongoing anti-government protests taking place countrywide.
The lawyer called out officials in the security department for failing to adhere to human rights laws and violating the Constitution through unlawful arrests.
Additionally, the lawyer called for justice and accountability for all those found guilty of violating the law when dealing with peaceful protestors.
"It's foolish to use a past misdeed by a previous regime to try to publicly vilify a current officeholder," Kaburu responded.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) since the protests began on June 18, at least 39 Kenyans lost their lives while 361 others sustained injuries countrywide.
"The dead are from Nairobi (17), Nakuru (3), Laikipia (1), Narok (1), Kajiado (3), Uasin Gishu (4), Kakamega (1), Kisumu (2), Kisii (1), Mombasa (3), Siaya (1), Kiambu (1) and Nandi (1). We condole with the families," the commission stated on July 1.
Additionally, the commission revealed that other protestors, medical personnel, lawyers, and journalists were also attacked during the demonstrations. The commission condemned the violence and demanded justice.
