Nairobi News

The Police Reform Working Group has raised concerns over the increased cases of extra-judicial killings and police brutality.

In a press statement on Friday evening, the group welcomed a recent move by the Ministry of Interior aimed at improving human rights-based and professional policing during the Covid-19 outbreak.

“The urgency of such a dialogue at this time could not be clearer. Millions have broken emergency measures and physical distancing protocols in one global protests,” the statement read in part.

The group cited an example of the protests that started following the murder of Mr George Floyd in Minneapolis in the United States of America.

It condemned the recent murders of civilians by police in Kenya saying that those who die deserve to be alive and the action should be taken against their killers.

“We have, however, always maintained that the culture of disrespect for human rights and integrity has to be uprooted for the public to have confidence in the public service,” the statement further read.

The group further issued eight requirements that they need to be resolved concerning extra-judicial killings.

They include; office of the Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai to express zero tolerance for police violence and that all the cases should be directed to independent agencies to investigate.

They also asked Mr Mutyambai to publicly list the names of police officers who are facing corruption and cases against human rights.

The group demanded that the office of the Attorney General operationalises the National Coroner’s Service Act and the prevention of torture act.

The further asked the office of the Director of Public Prosecution to hand over all the inquests into police brutality to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

“Like America, Kenya has clear constitutional, legal and operational policies that embed the respect for human rights. Breathing life into them at this time will transform public confidence levels,” the statement read.