President William Ruto has thrown his weight behind the National Police Service (NPS), which has been facing heavy criticism since protests broke out in the aftermath of the 2022 elections.
“To every police officer, from the constable to the man on the beat, I give you my assurance that the government of Kenya will support and stand by you as you secure our nation and keep our families safe,” President Ruto has now vowed.
Ruto issued this pledge on Tuesday, June 24, at State House during a breakfast with the Football Kenya Federation champions, Kenya Police FC. This is despite heightened scrutiny on the cops over alleged acts of police brutality and extrajudicial killings.
The Head of State referenced the contribution of the men in uniform in protecting Kenyans, property, and the nation as a whole.
“Without peace and security, we do not have a nation. The people who put their lives on the line to make sure that our families, properties, and nation are safe and stable are our security agencies,” he asserted.
At the same time, Ruto condemned acts to undermine, intimidate, and demean the security forces, adding that the authorities deserved all the support they could get from the nation.
Despite pledging his support, Ruto’s commitment still had a caveat, noting that security agencies would only be supported if they acted per the law.
“This administration will stand by them so that they can discharge their responsibilities within the law and make sure that the nation is safe. We have enough infrastructure to make sure that this happens within the law,” he stated.
His pledge comes just a day before protests set to be held in Nairobi’s Central Business District and other parts of the country in honour of fallen Gen Zs who lost their lives during last year’s anti-Finance Bill demos.
Police have pledged to protect protesting Kenyans, cautioning them against engaging in violent acts and provoking the authorities.
Despite their pledge, reports emerged indicating the police might facilitate chaos, which many observers have claimed will be brought by state-sponsored goons.
At the same time, Ruto’s promise highly contradicts the current reality on the ground, with the nation currently gripped by two incidents where police officers are at the center of police brutality accusations.
Yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approved the opening of murder charges against three police officers over the killing of popular influencer Albert Ojwang.
Ojwang, a popular social media influencer, died at the hands of police officers on Sunday, June 8, at the Central Police Station, after he was physically assaulted after being arrested in Homa Bay County.
Despite police initially claiming that Ojwang’s death was suicide, an autopsy report revealed that Ojwang had head injuries, neck compression, and other injuries on other parts of the body, ruling out the police’s version of events.
Recently, police officers were at the centre of the police brutality storm after footage emerged online of a police officer shooting a mask vendor in the head from point-blank range. The incident occurred ironically during protests held in honour of Albert Ojwang.
The vendor, later identified as Boniface Kariuki, is currently under intensive care at Kenyatta National Hospital and said to be in critical condition. As for the officer who fired the trigger, Masinde Baraza, he was arrested together with his colleague Duncan Kiptoo, who was seen physically assaulting Kariuki.
