This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai has taken a significant step towards improving service delivery and addressing public concerns over police conduct. As part of this effort, he will be hosting a weekly Twitter chat with the public every Monday.
According to Mutyambai, there has been a growing demand from the public for a closer and more engaging relationship with the police. To meet this demand, he will dedicate an hour every alternate Monday to engage with the public personally on a live Twitter chat.
During these sessions, Mutyambai will share thoughts on improving police services and will be open to suggestions from the public. He will also take note of issues that may require urgent attention from his office and from the public.
These efforts come at a time when there have been concerns over police conduct, particularly since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Cases of police brutality have been reported in various parts of the country, with more than a dozen people killed by police during a dusk-to-dawn curfew to curb the spread of the virus.
According to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), 15 deaths and 31 incidents where victims sustained injuries have been directly linked to actions of police officers during the curfew enforcement. IPOA has also noted 87 complaints against police since the end of March.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has acknowledged the presence of wayward personnel in the police service and reminded oversight agencies to execute their mandates. He has also emphasized the need to empower oversight institutions with resources and capacity to take decisive actions against offending police officers.
Published on June 21, 2020, at 5:21 PM EAT.
