Nairobi — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has denied allegations of double standards in unravelling civilian deaths blamed on police particularly those related to mass protests by Azimio supporters.
Kindiki told MPs that the Ministry of Interior and National Administration has deployed quick response mechanisms through the National Police Service's Internal Affairs Unit to respond and investigate cases blamed on police.
He cited the murder of boda-boda rider Daniel Mutembei during protests in Chuka as an example.
During an before the National Assembly plenary on Wednesday when he became the first Cabinet member to face lawmakers for a question session, Kindiki dispelled claims that the government had turned a blind eye to incidents in opposition bedrocks.
"The government has no double standards and doesn't respond to cases based on where they happen. In the matter that Wandayi raised we acted faster but there no question to respond on what we have done," he said.
"The same measures in Chuka are the same applied on this issue. The internal affairs as we speak are on the ground. IPOA is also on ground," Kindiki added.
Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi raised queries on the ministry's response citing prompt action in Mutembei's death yet no tangible investigation had been instituted on police excesses during Azimio-led anti-government protests.
Bias
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He said the fatal shooting of a third-year student at Maseno University during Azimio protests on March 20 as well as the death of a police officer in Nyamira who was run over by a police car.
"Could you confirm is in those instances you have released the police officers in the same Internal Affairs Unit to handle investigations?" Wandayi posed.
"If so what is the progress of those investigations or could we be seeing a case of double standards, application of the law differently in different situations and parts of the country?" he questioned.
The Minority Leader questioned why Kenyans were losing their lives during the mass protests yet the Police Service Act restricts police officers from using live bullets in crowd control.
"Is it now the policy of the Kenya Police Service to quell riots through live bullets as opposed to the old policy of using rubber bullets. If so then when did these changes occur and for whose benefit?" Wandayi asked.
Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui asked why killings were being reported during the protests yet Kenyans have the right to picket.
"Are shoot to kill orders the new norm by the Kenya Kwanza administration. Do the police bosses understand the Constitution (2010) that Kenyans have the right to picket?" Mbui asked.
Kindiki however explained to lawmakers that the Inspector General of Police had given strict instructions against the use of live bullets to control the masses.
"There's no shoot to kill order and in fact, the reason the OCPD and OCS in Chuka incident was transferred is because there were strict order by Inspector General. If indeed it was police who fired at Mutembei then action will be taken," he said.
