Rights groups want unruly officers fired

Human rights activists have asked the Government to interdict police officers linked to extra judicial killings.

Amnesty International Executive Director Irungu Houghton lamented the slow to none prosecution of such officers even with evidence.

 “Cases in which officers use unlawful policing are not being prosecuted quickly enough. Even witnesses are not being well protected,” he said.

Extra judicial killings are contrary to the Constitution and Police Standing Orders.

Houghton was speaking at Kamukunji grounds after a peaceful procession dubbed Saba Saba March 4 Our Lives, which was part of the remembrance of Saba Saba Day that birthed Kenya’s second liberation.

Houghton gave an example of a police officer who was recorded in broad day light killing two suspects in Eastleigh and yet no action was taken against him.

“He should have been stripped of his badge,” said Houghton. 

Wilfred Olal, convener of the Social Justice Centres Working Group and coordinator of the Dandora Community Justice Centre said over 1,000 youth had been killed through extra judicial means since 2013.

He said youth in informal settlements were being constantly harassed by police. “People are still being criminalised because of where they come from. This should end,” he said.

The activists asked the Government to adopt a concrete policy to address extra judicial killings and also review police stations in slums that are constantly in the spotlight due to extra judicial killings.