• Awino accused Ipoa of failing to listen to the complaints from people in slums such as Nyalenda, Manyatta, and Obunga.
• Kisumu police commander asks residents to report such cases.
Slum dwellers in Kisumu have accused the police of brutality and arbitrary arrests.
They said plain clothes police officers in tuk tuks often terrorise people living in the informal settlements.
Residents spoke on Tuesday during a free legal aid clinic in Nyalenda slum. The clinic was organised by Haki Africa and Transform Empowerment for Action Initiative.
Residents received pro bono legal advice from a team of lawyers.
Resident Pamela Awino said they have witnessed frequent cases of arbitrary arrests and brutality yet the Independent Police Oversight Authority (Ipoa) does not take action.
“We have cases where minors are arrested by the police as early as 6pm on their way to the shops. They are taken around for hours instead of being booked at the police station,” she said.
Awino accused Ipoa of failing to listen to the complaints from people in slums such as Nyalenda, Manyatta, and Obunga.
Another resident of Obunga John Otieno said the authority needs to step up investigations against rogue police officers who violate human rights.
He narrated how he was arrested by the police and taken round the whole night before he was released without being booked at any station.
Human rights defenders have attributed increased police brutality and arrests in the informal settlements to lack of legal literacy.
The civil society said police harassment has lately been on the rise due to lack of knowledge of the law.
Kisumu-based human rights activist Boniface Akatch condemned police brutality. He said the police should protect citizens and not harm them.
“We have to fight for our rights without fear or intimidation,” he said.
Akatch accused some officers in plain clothes of arresting people without giving a reason.
Institute for Land Governance and Human Rights officer Simon Kazungu said there is a need to expedite police reforms to address human rights violations by the police.
“Police should work within the confines of the law and should not abuse of power or torture of citizens,” he said.
The human rights groups gathered information on police brutality which they said they will follow up with Ipoa for action.
The organisations said gaps in the implementation of police reforms have given way to past mischief by law enforcers to crop in.
Haki Africa, rapid response officer Mathias Shipeta said the relationship between wananchi and the police has been poor. He said this needs to improve.
Kisumu county police commander Benson Maweu said no officer should engage in unlawful acts. He told residents to report police brutality and arbitrary arrests so that culprits are held responsible.
(Edited by P. Wanambisi)