Respect citizens' right to hold demonstrations

Two police officers harrasing a demonstrator.[File, Standard]

The more Kenyans condemn police brutality, the more insensitive the officers become. In other words, public protests over police high-handedness mean nothing to the officers. To them, Article 37, which gives citizens the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket, and present petitions to public authorities, exists only for ornamental purposes.

That was confirmed once again this week during three different protests. On Monday, former Chief Justice David Maraga and environmental activists were arrested while demonstrating against the planned excision of 76 acres within Nairobi National Park. They had reportedly informed police about their plan to hold the demo, but that meant nothing to the officers.

Still on Monday, police officers entered Multimedia University to quell protests but ended up shooting two students, leaving them with serious injuries. On Tuesday, police shot one person dead after they moved in to break a peaceful demo against the planned establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility by the US at the Nanyuki Air Base. Public outrage over their killing of two other people during similar protests last week did not stop them from pulling the trigger again.

Clearly, despite constitutional changes and progressive reforms in the police force/service, the law enforcers are still stuck in the dark ages; they derive excitement from spilling blood. Police have refused to adopt modern methods of quelling protests and still use live bullets against protesters.

But officers are not always entirely to blame for their brutality. Governments bear the highest responsibility. It is not a secret that police act mostly based on 'orders from above'. As such, Ruto and his government should be blamed for the Gen Z killings and the current brutalities. Uhuru and his administration should be blamed for the Yala River killings and other brutalities of his time.

Kenya will only witness a substantial change in policing the day the National Police Service realises it is supposed to act independently, not as a puppet of the executive. As we await that day, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority must act swiftly to bring all killer officers and their bosses to book.