Lobby group call for ouster of police boss Douglas Kanja over rising cases of abductions
The fate of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Douglas Kanja hangs on the after a looby group initiated push for his ouster over incessant cases of police-linked abductions targeting fierce social media critics of the current Kenya Kwanza administration.
Justice and Equality Kenya, a UK-based non-governmental organisation, called for the removal National Police Service (NPS) boss joining several other groups in condemning the rising cases of abductions in the country.
The call follows similar sentiments by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) urging the IG to resign, accusing him of failing to fulfill his core mandate of protecting Kenyans.
In a statement, Justice and Equality Kenya appealed to president William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to take decisive action against the abductions.
Yesterday, for the first time, speaking at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay county, president William Ruto broke silence on the rampant cases of gangland style abductions targeting government criticis saying that his administration will end the kidnappings to restore public trust in national security.
He further urged parents to lead from the front in mentoring and protecting their children to uphold peace in the nation.
“We have not seen any tangible action by the Interior Cabinet Secretary or the Inspector General of Police to address these forced disappearances. There has been no report on the status of investigations to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of measures being employed to tackle this serious issue,” the lobby group said.
The group expressed disappointment in the IG’s recent statement, which, they said, lacked substantive actions to curb the criminal activities.
Justice and Equality Kenya has further urged Kenyans to prepare for mass action if the government fails to address the issue of forced disappearances by January 5, 2025.
“We call on Kenyans from all walks of life to prepare for the mother of all battles to reclaim our sovereignty. We must reject the reign of terror perpetuated by criminal elements within the police directorate and their political accomplices. The mass action is set to begin on January 5, if these illegalities are not addressed by the president,” the statement read.
The LSK, in a separate statement, encouraged the public to share any information on the abductees or the circumstances of their abductions.
