Amnesty International claims David Kimaiyo’s amendments to police reforms bill may fuel impunity

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo [Photo:File/Standard]

 

By Standard Digital Reporter

Amnesty International has called on parliament to reject proposed amendments to police reforms Bill warning it will fuel human rights violations by law enforcement officers.

In a statement, Amnesty International Deputy Director for Africa Sarah Jackson said the amendments proposed by the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and endorsed by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Co-ordination Joseph Ole Lenku would severely weaken police reforms and eliminate many of the safeguards created to discipline and regulate the police force.

“These reforms are vital for Kenya and it would be disastrous if they get diluted at the eleventh hour,” said Ms Jackson. 

She said attempts by the Kenyan government to water-down key reforms to regulate the country’s police force will allow human rights violations to continue and officers to act with impunity.

Amendments to the National Police Service (Amendment) Bill and National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill are likely to be debated in Parliament this week.

According to the organisation, the Bill was originally introduced to ensure that serious human rights violations committed by the Kenyan police force during the 2007/2008 post-election violence could never be repeated.

 “The police have been acting as if they are above the law for years. The government must honour the commitments it made in the wake of the post-election violence and carry through these essential reforms,” Jackson added.  

She added: “This really is a case of one step forward, two steps back. What promised to be a badly needed shake up is unlikely to deliver on the key goal of a professional and accountable police service that is free of government interference.”

She said key powers originally granted to the independent and largely civilian National Police Service Commission would either be transferred to the Inspector General of Police or would require consultation with the Inspector General and the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Co-ordination.

These powers, which include recruitment, vetting and discipline of police officers, would therefore be at greater risk of political interference.

Jackson said the independence of the role of Inspector General is threatened as the amendments propose that he or she can be appointed by the President and Parliament, without an open recruitment.

 Amnesty International is also alarmed over amendments to the rules on use of firearms.

Currently, the circumstances in which police are permitted to use firearms is limited to saving or protecting life, or in defence against an imminent threat to life or of serious injury, but new amendments would allow its use to protect property, to stop someone charged with a serious crime escaping, or to stop someone who is helping them to escape.

Jackson said the additional grounds are contrary to international standards on use of force and may facilitate unlawful killings.