In the course of last week, a video clip of a haphazardly driven tuk-tuk must have landed in your WhatsApp inbox. In the clip the driver was driving up in a violent manner on a public road as some two police officers scampered for safety.
The driver would also be seen throwing stones at the officers after disembarking from the tuk-tuk. This is not the only clip that we have seen in the recent past where members of the public have resorted to ‘disciplining’ police officers.
It has been heart wrenching to watch the multiple viral videos of people beating up police officers. Even if the officers have been on the wrong, this is not the right approach in a country where we always call for respect of law and order.
Interestingly in one of the videos, the policeman had a gun but refrained from using it as he struggled to defend himself. The officer had the opportunity to use his weapon and badly injure or even kill the assailant but he chose not to.
The National Police Service Act has a key provision that states: “A police officer shall always attempt to use non-violent means first, and force may only be employed when non-violent means are ineffective or without any promise of achieving the intended result.”
From the clips we have seen shared on social media, the officers had every reason to use force but chose not to. At other points, they were just overwhelmed even to defend themselves.
We have seen officers bleeding when attacked during riots, even as they refrain from using guns on protesters. Some have been admitted to hospital with injuries.
Now flip that coin. Whenever there are such clips, where police are seen to be using force, the country almost comes to a standstill with every Tom, Dick and Harry condemning such actions.
But look at where we are today. How many have spoken against those who have wrongfully taken the law into their hands? Don’t police officers have rights like any other citizen?
Officers in Kenya are lowly paid, live in deplorable conditions and give their heart, soul and energy to serving this nation. It is completely unacceptable for anyone to think that they can attack them for any reason.
A nation that attacks and disrespects the police risks descending into chaos. Attacking a police officer should be considered an act of terrorism and should receive the harshest of punishments.
If you have a problem with the police, there is an internal affairs department where you can lodge your complaint. There is even the civilian oversight body – IPOA –, which since the enactment of the 2010 Constitution has been handling various complaints against the police.
That said, we must identify why these attacks are happening. Are there endemic failures that should be addressed? And how do we improve relations between the police and mwananchi?
KNHCR reported that more than half of sexual assailants during 2017 election were security officers. This means officers are not angels and thus the ongoing reforms must address some of these weaknesses.
In America, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement started because of a systemic rot and disconnect between the police and public. What can we learn from this and apply to Kenya?
We cannot allow this kind of lawlessness to descend on Kenya. We must therefore nip it in the bud now. Those responsible for police reforms must put the agenda of reconnecting the public and the police in the forefront.
Kenyans should not be running away from the police or in the recent cases, attack the officers as they carry out their duties. Police officers must also be in a position to deal with the public as fellow human beings as well as citizens of this great republic.
The writer is a political and communications consultant
@MachelWaikenda