Calls for accountability within Kenya’s police service have intensified following the controversial death of teacher and activist Albert Ojwang in police custody. A UK-based rights group, the Justice and Equity Council (UK chapter), is demanding the immediate suspension of three senior police officials, citing what it describes as systemic failure to protect Kenyan citizens.
In a strongly-worded petition to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), the lobby group singled out Inspector General Douglas Kanja, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) head Mohamed Amin, and Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat. The group accused them of presiding over a police system riddled with impunity, enforced disappearances, and a growing record of unresolved abuses.
“Under the leadership of these officials, the National Police Service has failed to ensure the safety of the Kenyan people. We are left with no choice but to demand their suspension, pending investigations,” read the letter, signed by the group’s chairperson Sebastian Onyango.
Ojwang’s death, which occurred while he was in custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, has triggered nationwide protests and sharpened public scrutiny of law enforcement practices. Demonstrators have taken to the streets demanding accountability and justice for a man many viewed as a peaceful activist and a respected educator.
The UK-based lobby accused the NPSC of complacency and silence, alleging that previous cases of disappearances and deaths linked to police have gone unaddressed. “The list of missing and abducted citizens continues to grow. Your inaction speaks volumes,” Onyango added, as he urged the commission to begin identifying suitable replacements for the senior officers named.
Meanwhile, a different civil society group has come out in defence of at least one of the embattled officers. The Wazalendo Movement Africa issued a statement supporting Deputy IG Lagat, praising his decision to file a formal complaint over Ojwang’s case as a mark of integrity.
“We urge Kenyans to stay calm and let the investigation take its course. Justice must be pursued through the proper channels, not through public pressure or political theatrics,” said Oponyo Eugene, founder and CEO of Wazalendo.
He further cautioned against unrest, especially among young people and activists: “Anger is justified, but destruction is not the answer. What we need is truth, not chaos.”
With investigations underway and public pressure mounting, the fate of the top police officials and the credibility of the institutions they lead hangs in the balance.
