Last Sunday, Kenyans were treated to an excellent piece of journalism exposing the sale of police commodities to the criminal underworld.
The commodities included uniforms, guns and even bullets. According to sources, it took over a year to work on the expose that shocked many Kenyans and remains the talk of the town to date.
The evidence was presented right in front of Kenyans on how police attire and arms meant to protect the people, can easily and cheaply end up in the wrong hands of criminals who would then use them to commit heinous crimes within communities.
That officers in the NPS are involved in the sale and distribution of police commodities is unfortunately a claim that has existed for years.
It is a fact that Kenyans have been treated to news of police equipment, including guns, being hired to criminals many a times.
In some cases, police themselves have been caught red-handed in broad daylight working with criminals and some even shot and killed by fellow officers. In a recent video that went viral, police in uniform were caught on CCTV camera breaking and entering an establishment.
Including during serious operations, police have been caught pants down engaging in unlawful acts. So what the expose did was merely to confirm what Kenyans have feared all along.
One may suggest that in any given country, there is no perfect police service and there are bound to be a few rotten apples that deviate from the straight path. However, what Kenyans at least expected from the expose was that since hard evidence had finally been presented and laid bare, the authorities would now take serious action and deal with the criminal elements among them.
Alas! To the dismay of everyone, police have come out guns blazing rubbishing what was so open to everyone and focusing their attention on the journalists instead of those responsible of distributing police commodities illegally.
In a press conference led by none other than DCI George Kinoti, police have claimed they can account for every firearm issued to them and further stated that those given out in the expose did not belong to them but possibly to herders and cattle rustlers from the northern region of the country.
Worse, the police went ahead to summon the journalists involved in the making of the report and their bosses!
What is further disappointing is that the officer heading the unjustified defense of the police and vilification of the media is one of Kenya’s most professional and top officers – Kinoti. One would understand if it was a different officer such as the government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna.
Kenyans expected that he would at least promise serious investigations and even dismiss and arrest officers involved to build some faith in Kenyans. However, this was not the case.
It is acts such as these that entrench impunity in the police service. When those in authority offer blanket defence to rogue officers under them, it emboldens wrongdoing in the service and diminishes public trust.
In contrast, this same week, the world witnessed how US former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of killing George Floyd. He was made to answer for his wrongs and will now face the wrath of the law.
No senior officer has defended his wrong acts and this has sent a message to all police officers that such acts are unacceptable. It has also made people believe that justice is possible.
Police impunity is a cancer in Kenya’s efforts to ensure justice and rule of law. President Uhuru Kenyatta made it clear that officers who fail to perform must be shown the door.
When all in authority speak the same language and make it clear that there is no room for crime, corruption or laxity in the police service, then the country can truly achieve meaningful reforms.
However, if the police keep acting as they did this week, then there will be no success. Kenyans must demand for an end to impunity in the police service.
