Police Reforms Working Group and Law of Society of Kenya have written to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula over alleged police brutality at Multimedia University.
The two want Wetang’ula to convey a request to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to summon the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to explain the nature of the operation carried out at the institution on September 17, 2024.
“Our attention has been drawn to an incident where a student at Multimedia University was beaten with wooden batons on September 17, 2024. Police proceeded to lob a tear gas canister directly at the visibly injured student at close range,” the letter said.
PRWG and LSK want Kanja to state the commands issued to the police officers who were deployed and reveal the identities of police officers captured on camera allegedly assaulting the student.
They further want Kanja to state the actions taken to discipline them and whether their files have been referred to IPOA.
“A video seen by our associations and in the public domain shows the teargas exploding, bursting into flames next to a student. The video shows that police used batons and teargas in a situation which did not require batons and teargas. Police officers are seen striking the injured student,” the letter said.
The letter was signed by Independent Medico-Legal Unit executive director Grace Wangechi, Amnesty International executive director Houghton Irungu and LSK president Faith Odhiambo.
PRWG and LSK said the incident is one in an emerging trend of police intentionally violating human rights laws and standards requiring strict control and use of less lethal weapons, including chemical irritants and batons.
“It is imperative to note that the lobbing and direct launching of teargas at close range has been confirmed to result in deep wounds, concussion and, in severe instances, death. Furthermore, all police officers must refrain from using batons and other lethal crowd control weapons to suppress the enjoyment of human rights, including the right to protest,” the letter added.
The letter further said police have an obligation to justify and account for every strike they use as they are bound by the principles of necessity, proportionality and legality.
