Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has raised issues with Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai over the death of a boda boda rider who was allegedly shot by a police officer at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital.
Speaking in the Senate on Thursday, February 20, during a debate, Sakaja blamed Mutyambai for what he called a rise in extrajudicial killings in the country.
"The inspector general should be personally held liable and should be summoned to shed more light on the steps taken to bring this to an end and the status of the 107 cases of extrajudicial killings that have taken place in the last 15 months.
"The IG must present to us the strategy and new regulations that ensure humane, professional and responsible policing, even during demonstrations and picketing as allowed for under Article 37 of the Constitution.
"He must also update us on the state of investigations and prosecutions of the police officers who are alleged to have shot these young people," he stated.
Sakaja told the Senators that the rate of extrajudicial killings in the country was a pointer to some rogue elements in the police service that operate at the behest of their own laws, without oversight from the relevant bodies.
"The number of young people being brutalized and executed by rogue officers is alarming. As a house, we must demand that all those responsible be reprimanded, dismissed and prosecuted in accordance with the law not transferred to other stations.
"In the last 15 months, 107 men and women have been killed by police officers. 50% of these killings have taken part in Nairobi County. 69% of the dead were between 18-35 years and less than 10% of these cases have led to arrests or prosecution of these officers," he stated.
He also urged the Senate to stand with the youth to ensure that justice is accessible to the youth, and in the case where the killings have taken place, reparations to be issued.
I urge my colleagues to stand with the youth of Nairobi, the youth of Kenya and to stand on the side of justice. We must demand implementation of the National Coroners Service Act and the Prevention of Torture Act," he added.
This is not the first time that Sakaja is urging Mutyambai to take responsibility for misdeeds by officers in their line of work.
He previously warned Mutyambai against antagonizing the youth when Facebook group Buyer Beware's owner Mildred Atieno's house was raided early in the morning by police who orchestrated her arrest.
