A new report by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has exposed serious violations by Kenyan police during recent public protests, including failure to display name tags or service numbers and the use of excessive force, raising major concerns over transparency, accountability, and public safety.
The July 2025 report, which covers protests held in June and July, centers around demonstrations sparked by the death of Albert Ojwang’ in police custody. The first protest, held on June 12 in Nairobi, was largely peaceful, despite lack of official notification under the Public Order Act. However, IPOA found that uniformed and plainclothes officers were deployed with firearms, teargas, and batons, and none displayed identification as required by law.
IPOA observers also documented the presence of unidentified civilians in plainclothes, armed with whips and participating in crowd control, suggesting irregular or unauthorized involvement.
A second wave of protests on June 17 in Nairobi and Mombasa escalated further. Police deployed riot squads from the General Service Unit (GSU) and other specialized units, some using vehicles with concealed license plates. Protester Boniface Mwangi Kariuki was shot and later died in hospital. Following IPOA investigations, one officer, Klinzy Masinde Barasa, was charged in Criminal Case No. 010 of 2025.
The report paints a grim picture of police handling during the protest wave. As of July 23, IPOA recorded 65 civilian deaths and 342 injuries, compared to only five deaths officially reported by the police. The Authority attended 61 autopsies and confirmed ongoing investigations into the remaining cases.
Destruction of public and private property was widespread, including the burning of police stations in Nairobi, Nyandarua, and Kirinyaga, and looting in counties like Meru, Embu, and Kiambu. In some areas, police were overwhelmed and unable to contain the chaos.
IPOA also found that police failed to provide medical assistance during protests, used unmarked vehicles, and in some cases, fired live ammunition. Officers were deployed without proper welfare support, including meals, water, and allowances.
Only in Mombasa did IPOA observe adherence to human rights standards in policing.
The report urges sweeping reforms, including mandatory display of name tags, use of body cameras, deployment of medical personnel during operations, and clear marking of police vehicles. It also calls for the establishment of a Public Hospital Security Unit and a civic education campaign on protest rights.
Furthermore, IPOA recommends updating the Public Order Act to recognize counter-protests and spontaneous demonstrations and stresses the need for improved dialogue between police and protest organizers.
The Authority has also flagged Kenya’s declining police-to-citizen ratio, currently 1:600 against the recommended 1:450, and called for transparent recruitment to bridge the gap.
As pressure mounts for accountability, the spotlight is now on the National Police Service and Parliament to act on IPOA’s urgent recommendations and restore public confidence in the right to assemble peacefully.
Written By Rodney Mbua
