Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has defended the actions of police officers during the deadly June 25 protests, which resulted in the deaths of several protesters in Nairobi. While addressing the National Assembly National Security Committee, Kindiki argued that it is unfair to solely blame police officers for the deaths.
During his testimony on Thursday, CS Kindiki discussed the role of the police during the June protests. He claimed that it is wrong to assume that the bullets that killed protesters were fired by police officers. He explained that while individuals had been shot, it was not conclusive evidence that law enforcement was responsible.
“The fact that somebody has been shot is not conclusive evidence that they have been shot by a police officer,”Kindiki stated.
Justification for Forceful Action by Police Officers
CS Kindiki defended the forceful measures taken by the police, stating that the officers were acting in the interest of national security. He noted that the protests posed a significant risk to critical national institutions, including the Parliament.
“It is not correct to argue that police officers cannot use force. If we never applied force on that day, we would have been facing a different situation in Kenya,”he explained.
He further argued that protecting institutions like Parliament, the Judiciary, and the Executive was crucial for maintaining national stability.
“If we overthrow constitutional institutions, we have no country,”Kindiki added, defending the need for strong police action to prevent chaos and the collapse of Kenya’s democratic institutions.
“42 not 61” Deaths
Kindiki revealed that 42 Kenyans died during anti-government protests from June to August. However, this figure is lower than the 61 deaths reported by Amnesty International and various human rights organizations. He expressed uncertainty regarding 12 deaths but committed to providing a detailed report on the circumstances surrounding the 30 confirmed fatalities.
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Kindiki also requested 24 hours to furnish more information on the remaining 12 cases, pledging transparency in addressing the discrepancies in the death toll.
Amnesty International released its own report, which challenges Kindiki’s claims. The organization revealed that it conducted a thorough investigation by interviewing 23 eyewitnesses and analyzing 45 videos and over 100 photographs from the protest day. According to Amnesty International, the death toll from the protests was significantly higher, and they recorded 61 fatalities.
In addition to the deaths, Amnesty International documented 67 cases of enforced disappearances this year. Out of these cases, 40 have been resolved, leaving 27 individuals still missing.
Calls for Accountability Continue
As the debate over the police’s role in the deaths of protesters rages on, many are calling for more thorough investigations into the actions of law enforcement. Human rights groups have urged the government to ensure accountability for any excessive use of force by police officers.
The June 25 protests were part of a larger wave of anti-government demonstrations, with citizens expressing discontent over the Finance Bill 2024, rising costs of living, corruption, and bad governance issues. The heavy-handed response by the police has sparked widespread condemnation, both locally and internationally.
