CS Murkomen defends police conduct during protests, urges IPOA to hold off judgement

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has come to the defence of police officers over their conduct during recent protests, urging the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to be cautious in its public statements and avoid passing judgment before investigations are concluded.

Speaking on Saturday in Kabarnet, Baringo County, Murkomen said law enforcement officers have a right to defend themselves and others using their weapons when faced with real threats.

“A clear policy direction to the Inspector General of Police that police officers also have a right to use their ammunition to defend themselves and to defend the life of others,” he said.

Murkomen faulted IPOA for appearing to side with narratives that overlook the actions of violent groups during the unrest.

According to him, those involved were not ordinary citizens but were armed with petrol bombs and engaged in burning down public institutions.

“These people were carrying petrol bombs and stealing guns and burning courts and police stations. These are not ordinary citizens, so IPOA should call them out,” the CS stated.

Murkomen insisted that the actions of such individuals cannot be equated to peaceful protesters and warned against premature claims of excessive force.

“You cannot say there was disproportionate use of force because you have not measured the force of the petrol that was used to burn Kikuyu Police Station, for example, or Kalau Police Station,” he argued.

The Interior boss also raised concerns over those who were killed inside police stations, saying their deaths need to be investigated fully.

“You haven’t even said something about the remandees or suspects that were in the police station in Kalau, where they were burned to death by these people,” he added.

Murkomen urged IPOA to remember that its mandate includes carrying out thorough investigations, not making early conclusions.

“I encourage IPOA to become very careful with their statements they issue because the investigative responsibilities are in their hands. They are likely to jeopardise their investigations if they pass judgment before they do the investigations,” he said.

He noted that unless IPOA can produce evidence and files that incriminate specific police officers, their claims would raise public doubts. “Then Kenyans will ask, where is your file that indicts any police officer specifically?”

The CS also emphasised that all officers involved in the operations acted under clear government instructions and should not be left to face legal challenges alone.

“We have also said in the situation that the police officers were operating in my policy direction, they must be given legal representation just in case they are going to be called to answer, because they were not doing that on their own,” he said.

The Interior Boss made it clear that while the government will not shield any officer who acted unlawfully, it would also not abandon those who acted to protect the country.

“Whereas we will not cover up for someone who committed heinous acts, we will also not abandon our police officers who are protecting our nation,” he affirmed.

Murkomen questioned the consistency of public complaints, noting that everyone who died is being described as innocent.

“Everybody is saying, my child was in the shop, they were buying a scratch card, they were doing this... So I’m asking myself, these people who burned police stations, who burned shops, who burned goods — who are these people and where are they?” He posed

Murkomen also criticised the legal community and human rights groups for only defending those arrested.

“Everybody we have arrested and charged, every human rights person, the Law Society of Kenya, are coming to defend them. So I’m asking, who will defend these people whose properties have been burned, who will defend the court, who will defend the police station, who will defend the police officers?”

He concluded by calling for a national dialogue that goes beyond police accountability and also considers the damage caused by protestors.

“I think it is time as a country we have an honest conversation and we avoid this theme of sugarcoating these issues around the question of accountability,” he stated.

Earlier this week, IPOA raised alarm over the conduct of law enforcement officers during the recent deadly protests and last year’s anti-finance bill demonstrations, highlighting serious concerns about police accountability.

In a report released by the authority, IPOA revealed that 65 people have died since the onset of the unrest, while 342 civilians and 171 police officers were injured in the chaos.

The protests, which turned violent in various parts of the country, also saw widespread destruction of public and private property, including the vandalism of businesses and police stations.

The authority said it received 48 complaints of police brutality and an additional 70 reports during the June 25 protests, a day marked by Kenyans to commemorate last year’s June 24 protests and the recent Saba Saba demonstrations held this month.