Debate on police executions calls for a broader approach

Kamau Wairuri

The execution of two young men in Eastleigh, Nairobi, last week, is just the latest incident of police violence against suspected criminals. As dramatic as this case was, it was not unusual. According to the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), the police killed 144 people last year, of whom 122 were summarily executed.

What has been a bit perplexing for observers is that this violence is often accompanied by popular support. The ongoing debates about the Eastleigh shootings have shown this. But the three-day protest by Githurai residents against the arrest of a popular policeman for the death of a young man in their neighbourhood remains the most spectacular display of popular support for policeviolence.