IPOA raises alarm over police conduct, underfunding ahead of Gen Z protest anniversary tomorrow

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has warned against the use of force by police officers during tomorrow’s June 25 protests, which will mark one year since the deaths of several Gen Z protestors who took part in demonstrations against rising corruption, bad governance and the highly contested Finance Bill 2024.

IPOA Commissioner John Muchiri, a former Member of Parliament for Manyatta Constituency in Embu County, made the remarks during a media briefing at the Authority’s Central Region headquarters in Nyeri town.

Muchiri urged Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to ensure discipline among officers, saying any form of violence against peaceful demonstrators would not be tolerated.

“We are asking the Inspector General to control his officers. Politicians and individuals hiring goons must stop. We want peaceful protests, not chaos,” Muchiri said.

He described the Gen Z protesters as “our children” and said their deaths remain a national tragedy.

“It hurts us when these young people are killed. We are therefore appealing to them to hold peaceful demonstrations,” Muchiri said.

“Our mandate is to ensure the police conduct themselves professionally on that day. There should be no use of rubber bullets or tear gas,” he added

Muchiri called on Kenyans to support the youth’s right to protest, while at the same time urging demonstrators to shun violence and destruction of property.

He also responded to critics questioning the performance of IPOA, defending the Authority’s commitment to holding rogue officers accountable.

“IPOA officers are human and may have shortcomings. But our intention is clear, we will not allow rogue officers to walk free,” he said.

Muchiri blamed chronic underfunding for the Authority’s limited capacity to deliver justice.

He revealed that IPOA currently has only 77 investigators handling thousands of cases nationwide.

“We are overwhelmed. We are asking even the demonstrators to advocate for IPOA to be adequately funded so we can deal with cases involving police misconduct effectively,” he said.

The Commissioner also proposed that IPOA be equipped with its own forensic laboratory, independent from the National Police Service (NPS), to boost impartiality in investigations.

“There must be a clear line between IPOA and NPS. Currently, the forensic lab under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is controlled by the police. That compromises the credibility of investigations,” said Muchiri.

According to the Commissioner, some IPOA staff have gone without allowances due to financial constraints.

He argues that the Authority’s operational budget was slashed from Sh2.2 billion to Sh1.3 billion, crippling its effectiveness.

“We don’t have vehicles. We rely on well-wishers to facilitate our work,” he lamented. Without proper funding, IPOA cannot fulfill its mandate,” said the official.

Muchiri said the Authority is seeking an audience with President William Ruto to push for increased budgetary allocation.

“Underfunding IPOA destabilizes it. We are calling for urgent reforms to empower IPOA to protect the rights of Kenyans and hold the police accountable,” Muchiri said.