Amnesty faults pace of police reforms

By ALLY JAMAH

A new report on police reforms has urged Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo to speedily detail security measures to be put in place during the March 4 elections.

In the report, Amnesty International expressed concern that a month before the General Election, Mr Kimaiyo has not revealed a clear plan on policing the elections and preventing violence.

“Though there are reports the police have identified so-called hotspots, it is unclear what they are doing to ensure the areas do not erupt in violence. Failure by police to stem violence in Tana Delta recently has seriously shaken public confidence in them,” said the report.

The report also called on the police to immediately publish a clear code of conduct for police officers to prevent them from engaging on human rights abuses and being sucked into partisan politics.

“The police should ensure that force is only used as a last resort when non-violent measures are ineffective and only then, in line with national and international human rights law and standards,” said the report.

Amnesty said that police leadership should send a clear message to police officers not to be used by politicians in partisan politics during the elections.

They called on Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko to make an unequivocal public statement that any human rights violations committed during the elections, including by State agencies, will be promptly investigated and those responsible prosecuted. The report also called on proper training of new police recruits in maintaining law and order in election, including limitations on the use of force as well as negotiation and mediation with communities to help them de-escalate situations.

Amnesty has warned against the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces to keep or restore security during election unless “absolutely necessary” and only for a limited and specified duration, under a clear command, and with respect for international human rights law, especially regarding the use of force and accountability for human rights violations.

Titled, “Police Reforms in Kenya: A Drop in the Ocean”, the report termed police reforms as “too slow” saying that there was a short supply of political will to follow through on the most important aspects of reforms to end impunity and lawlessness in the police force. “Failure of police reforms may mean the 2013 polls may not be free of violence. As a result, the very same policing structures blamed by many for human rights violations in 2007-2008 post-election violence remain in place,” said the report.