Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa during a press conference at the Parliament Building on June 18, 2025. PHOTO/ENOS TECHE
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has threatened to sponsor an amendment to disband the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) for intimidating police officers in line of duty.
The lawmaker said the Authority has failed on his mandate and instead resorted to making the work of the police difficult.
Addressing a press conference at Parliament on Wednesday, Barasa also said his proposed legislation will give the security officers powers to use reasonable force in the line of duty.
According to Barasa, the Authority in its current format only serves to instill fear within the National Police Service (NPS).
“I have set up a team in my office looking at all this proposal. The amendments will be out soon,” Barasa said.
“I will propose to disband Ipoa or reduce them to how parliamentary committees handle petitions.”
The UDA MP accused the Authority of demonising the police and frustrating their work, especially in managing chaotic situations.
Faulting the recent arrest of police officers in the murder of X influencer Albert Ojwang’, Barasa argued that all professionals, including doctors, judges, and journalists, err in the line of duty, but only police are publicly condemned.
“When judges and magistrates make mistakes, they say the learned bench has erred. When a police officer makes mistakes, the same officer is arrested and prosecuted,” Barasa noted.
“I have decided to come and defend our uniformed officers who are doing a bigger role. Ipoa is overstepping its mandate.”
Barasa also insisted that it is wrong for the public to continue pushing for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat, whom he noted made a complaint procedurally.
“There is no relationship between the DIG and Police stations; he followed the rule of law,” he stated.
The lawmaker also warned demonstrators against provoking police officers during protests, citing a case where a female activist was filmed trying to unmask an officer deployed during last week’s picketing.
“There is a reason why police officers deployed to protect the lives and properties are given guns and not buttons, ” Barasa argued.
