MPs put Kindiki to task over insecurity, police brutality
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure responds to questions in the National Assembly on April 12, 2023.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki yesterday faced a barrage of questions from MPs over the rising insecurity in various parts of the country and the use of live bullets by police to quell demonstrations.
Prof Kindiki, who was the first Cabinet Secretary to answer questions directly from MPs on the floor of the House in the new changes of standing orders, was taken to task by lawmakers on what the government is doing over the killings.
The Interior CS, who walked into the chambers at exactly 2:43 pm and took his designated place on the left side of the Speaker, was queried over the conduct of police when dealing with protesters.
Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi and his deputy Robert Mbui put the CS on the spot over the ‘increased’ use of live bullets by police to deal with demonstrators.
Mr Wandayi sought to know the progress of investigations into the killing of William Mayange, a third-year Maseno University student, who was shot last month during Azimio anti-government protests.
Both Mr Wandayi and Mbui told the CS to come clean on whether the government changed its policy to use live bullets on members of the public who are exercising their constitutional rights.
“Is shoot-to-kill order acceptable under Kenya Kwanza regime, do the police respect the Constitution on the right to picket? Mr Mbui asked.
Prof Kindiki said police officers deployed to quell riots are under strict instructions not to use live bullets.
Speaking on the killing of boda boda operators association chairman Willis Kiraku Mugambi, Prof Kindiki said the Internal Affairs Unit head has already been dispatched to the ground and police have made significant progress in the probe.
He said Tharaka-Nithi County Commissioner and Chuka Officer Commanding Station (OCS) have already been transferred and new officers brought to aid in the ongoing investigations.
“It’s suspected that he could have been killed by police during the riot; we have narrowed down to the person who shot dead Mr Mugambi and will name him soon,” Prof Kindiki said.
He told MPs that both the police and the Independent Police Oversight Authority are conducting separate investigations.
Police radar
Prof Kindiki said the bandit who was rescued from Iten Referral Hospital by his colleagues on Monday has been on police radar for a long time. Challenged by MPs on how bandits can raid a public hospital and escape with one of their own, Prof Kindiki defended the action of the police, saying they could not engage in a shooting spree with bandits in a hospital setting.
“The person involved was a suspected bandit because he had bullet wounds and could not explain where he got it,” he said. “The person has been on the police radar and we are following some leads and will soon arrest him.”
The CS was responding to a question from Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap.
Prof Kindiki was pushed hard to explain why, despite the presence of the military and the General Service Unit officers, the bandits continue to conduct raids.
Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren told the CS that bandits raided his constituency and killed three people and injured several others yesterday.
“What will you do for the people to save them from these bandits who are now living in the schools that we built using CDF? Please help my people who do not have guns to defend themselves,” Mr Kamuren said.
Samburu Woman Rep Pauline Lenguris said over 30 people have been killed by bandits in her county despite the ongoing operation.
Prof Kindiki said training of 200 police reservists will start tomorrow and will be deployed to Baringo North and South.
Next week, four Cabinet Secretaries will appear before the House to answer questions from MPs.
