This archive report was first published on 10 October 2021.
On Friday, a group of individuals claiming to be from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and accompanied by a policeman visited businesses in Pension Towers in Nairobi, sparking a confrontation with activist Boniface Mwangi.
Mr. Mwangi, who was filming the scene, demanded that the group produce their identification before they could enter a barbershop he was in. However, none of them did.
As the situation escalated, more armed officers arrived, and Mr. Mwangi was asked to stop recording the scene, which he refused. The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning the actions of the police and the KRA officers involved.
According to National Police Service Spokesman Bruno Shioso, the police had lawfully been assigned to enforce revenue collection by Nairobi Metropolitan Services and KRA. However, his explanation has been met with skepticism, with many pointing out that the officers involved did not identify themselves as required by law.
Mr. Shioso also claimed that an injury sustained by Mr. Mwangi was not inflicted by police but by himself when he 'felled himself on the floor to cause a commotion that was meant to aid the escape of the arrested defaulters.' However, this claim has been disputed, with KRA stating that all its staff on duty must provide identification before entering premises.
The incident has sparked a heated debate on social media, with many calling for accountability and transparency in the actions of the police and the KRA. The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hilary Mutyambai, had previously stated that police officers have been trained on the procedure of self-identification while on duty.
