Police Brutality On Kenyan Citizens

Police Brutality On Kenyan Citizens
police brutality

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Kenya has imposed numerous restrictions.Among these measures is the dusk to dawn curfew which commenced in March. However, residents have submitted allegations of police brutality right from the time authorities imposed the curfew.

During the pandemic,15 people have died while the police were out executing the orders. The Independent Policing Oversight body complained that since the government imposed the curfew, victims have forwarded complaints of police brutality.

In April Human Rights Watch accused the police of imposing the coronavirus curfew in a “chaotic and violent manner from the start.”

Some of their complaints included harassment, assaults, robbery, shootings, etc.

The rights group released a statement just at the time furious Americans protested of police brutality and racism. This was due to the unjust death of George Floyd, a black American.

However, Floyd’s death hasn’t led to any major protests in Kenya.

Meanwhile, Rights activists are using social media to condemn Kenyan police for their habitual brutality on innocent citizens. Often, they mishandle common citizens and go unpunished.

They tend to mostly abuse residents from poor neighborhoods.

In late April, Human Rights Watch accused the police of applying excessive force during the curfew. They kicked, teargassed, shot, and whipped residents. A rather outrageous act.

A 13-year-old boy, Yassin passed away amid a commotion as the Kenyan police officers forced people to their homes. He succumbed after sustaining a severe injury from a gunshot at the balcony of their home.

The doctors pronounced him dead upon arriving at the hospital.

Killing of four people in western.

Similarly, in January,8 young men died after sustaining injuries from gunshots.21 young men and boys also passed away after the police unjustly shot them.

“Although many killings by the police have been well documented by both state institutions and rights organizations, the security officers have rarely been held to account, including by the police oversight authority,” said HRW.

During a press briefing on Friday, the interior minister Fred Matiangi cautioned against police excess. He also urged citizens to refrain from police stigma esp. since they were facing challenges in the security sector.

Noordin Haji, Kenya’s Chief Prosecutor is working on 171 cases addressing police brutality. With his major objective as getting justice for the abused citizens.

IPOA stated on Thursday that two policemen would be arrested and prosecuted. One will be charged with the killing of Yassin, another for the murder of a high school teacher, and the rest of seriously assaulting a man they arrested.

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