Senators have pledged to use their authority to put an end to the excessive force used by police against protesters. Several lawmakers announced plans to summon newly appointed Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to explain the steps he is taking to address police brutality.
Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo emphasized that the Constitution clearly outlines how the police should handle suspects. “The law is clear—if you are suspected of any crime, you must be taken to court within 24 hours if arrested. That is not happening. There is no provision in our law for abductions or extrajudicial actions, whether killings or holding someone in confinement without the courts being involved,” he stated.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale condemned the use of excessive force, noting that Kanja must clarify what he described as the police’s new methods involving rubber bullets, teargas, and live rounds. “Unlike before, it has become common to see police releasing teargas in rural areas. I used to only experience this during strikes at the University of Nairobi,” Khalwale said. “I never imagined we would witness extrajudicial killings after the exit of, with due respect, the late President Moi.”
He cited the case of 27-year-old Robert Chepkwony, who was shot dead while protesting for better economic conditions in his county related to tea farming. “I do not understand what the police are doing in our villages. As one of the most teargassed leaders in this country, with several live rounds fired near me, the police are now following villagers into their homes. They are hardening the youth.”
Migori Senator Eddy Oketh urged the Senate to fight against the misuse of police force. “Senators in this House, through the majority leader’s Motion, expressed overwhelming concern about police brutality, mistreatment, abductions, and extrajudicial killings,” he said.
“It is disappointing that many months after this conversation, the resolutions of this House that were sent to the President of this country – not even a single one – have been taken seriously,” lawmakers remarked during a deliberation on a statement request by Senator Wakili Henry Sigei (Bomet).
Sigei sought a statement from the National Security, Defense, and Foreign Relations Committee regarding the excessive use of force by police against demonstrators in Bomet County, which resulted in the death of the young man Senator Boni Khalwale referenced, along with injuries to others. The incident occurred when small-scale tea farmers in Bomet protested against what they saw as exploitation and low annual tea bonuses.
The peaceful demonstration was met with a violent response from the police, who, according to Sigei, used live ammunition to disperse the protesters. “This tragic action led to the death of Robert Chepkwony and injuries to several others, including Japheth Kipkirui Towet, 32, who suffered a gunshot wound to his thigh, and 17-year-old Gilbert Kipyegon, who still has a bullet lodged in his knee,” Sigei reported.
He went on to request that the committee provide a detailed account of the events leading to the killing of Chepkwony on 18th September 2024, asking for a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
