The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has apologized after being called out for using invalid images to depict ‘Maandamano’ protests on Monday.
In a social media post on Saturday, DCI said, “The Directorate of Criminal Investigations wishes to unreservedly apologize to the public for the mix-up of images in yesterday’s communication, which was meant to appeal for information regarding the whereabouts of criminal suspects involved in Monday’s illegal demonstrations.”
The DCI shifted some of the blame to citizens, saying, “The confusion was caused in part by the deluge of information received via the #FichuakwaDCI online platform regarding reported incidents of violence. While we work to correct the situation and maintain public trust in our operations, the Directorate continues to ask the public for information on the whereabouts of the suspects whose images appear below. FichuakwaDCI 0800 722 203.”
The DCI released a series of images on Friday, ostensibly unmasking the individuals it described as criminals who used the protests to destroy property and attack innocent members of the public and police officers on duty.
However, some of the images used were from previous protests, some from as far back as 2008, and one was not even in Kenya.
In one of the images in question, protesters are seen to be scampering for safety amid chaos, however, a search of the image reveals that the image was from a protest in Burundi and was used in an article on Al Jazeera titled ‘‘Hundreds arrested’ in Burundi amid political unrest’ in 2015.
In another photo, a man is seen aiming a tear gas canister at an unknown target. However, the image appears to first have been used in 2008.
