This archive report was first published on 6 June 2020.
On June 5, 2020, the Police Reform Working Group sounded the alarm over the rising cases of extra-judicial killings and police brutality in Kenya. The group welcomed a recent move by the Ministry of Interior to improve human rights-based 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 group stated in a press release.
The group cited the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA, as an example of the need for police reform. They condemned recent police killings in Kenya, saying those who die deserve to be alive and action should be taken against their killers.
The group issued eight requirements to address extra-judicial killings, including zero tolerance for police violence, independent investigations, and public listing of police officers facing corruption and human rights cases.
“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 group stated.
