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VOCAL AFRICA AND PARTNERS DEMAND TOTAL POLICE OVERHAUL

Author

Gerald Kombo
August 10, 2025

WEDNESDAY, 6TH AUGUST 2025

The release of the latest Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) report has once again confirmed a grim reality Kenyans have known for years the Kenya Police Service remains the most corrupt institution in the country.

From Corruption to Cold-Blooded Murder

Speaking during the press briefing, the coalition led by Vocal Africa laid bare the human cost of this entrenched impunity.

They recalled the tragic case of Albert Ojwang, a young Kenyan arrested, tortured, and murdered inside Nairobi’s Central Police Station — a facility surrounded by CCTV cameras, manned 24/7, and funded by public taxes.

Police claimed Albert “collapsed after hitting his head on the wall,” but evidence has since confirmed he was beaten to death. His killers? Not yet convicted. Many not even arrested.

They also cited the dozens of young Kenyans killed during the Gen Z protests — some shot in the head by snipers, others abducted in plainclothes-police-operated Subarus and later found dead in bushes, rivers, or mortuaries. Some victims have never been found. Their families, activists say, bury their children while the killers remain in uniform.

Why the Police Are the Focus

Addressing a question from journalist Kirui on why the focus is almost entirely on the police when other institutions are also corrupt, Vocal Africa’s Hussein Khalid was clear:

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“The police have perennially been at the top of the EACC’s corruption list for years. It is the one institution that has refused to reform and is responsible for the chaos we see in the country. Yes, other institutions like NTSA need reform too — but the police are also the ones responsible for investigating corruption. If we fix the police, we can fight corruption across all other institutions. We believe this Kenya Police Service, as presently constituted, is irredeemable. Just like Kenya threw away the old constitution and brought in a new one, we need to do the same with the police service.”

Khalid stressed that anyone from the rank of Inspector upwards should be permanently barred from joining the new police service, as they have been part of the systemic rot.

In Swahili, community representatives reinforced the point:

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“Yote haya yamefanywa na nani? Na polisi. Hata wakija kukufunga biashara, wanakuja na polisi. Kwa hivyo polisi ndiyo nambari moja. Wanapaswa kujirekebisha ili Kenya iendelee mbele.”

The Coalition’s Core Demands

  1. Arrest All Killer Cops Immediately:
    All officers suspected of involvement in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances must be arrested, prosecuted, and permanently banned from any law enforcement role. Officers from Inspector rank upwards should not be allowed to join the new police service.

  2. Strengthen the National Police Service Commission (NPSC):
    NPSC must be independent, well-funded, and empowered to vet, discipline, and oversee all police officers — without political interference.

  3. Ensure IPOA’s Financial Independence & Reform Appointment Process:
    The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) should be financially autonomous, with leadership appointed by the NPSC instead of the Executive.

Beyond “Bad Apples”

The coalition dismissed the notion that the crisis is merely about a few rogue officers:

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“This is not just about corruption. It is not about bad apples. It is about a state that has weaponized its police force against its own people. We are robbed in broad daylight. We are shot for raising our voices. We are buried without justice. And still, we are expected to trust a government that refuses to dismantle the gang of killers it calls a police service.”

They warned that unless the current system is abolished and rebuilt from scratch, Kenya will remain trapped in a cycle of violence, corruption, and fear.

A Warning and a Promise

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“We will not be intimidated. We will not beg. We demand life, safety, dignity, and justice. If the police will not serve us, then they must be removed.”