Governor Anne Waiguru during a past event./HANDOUT
Waiguru further warned against the cover-up of the killings by police officers, terming the recent shooting of a street vendor and the killing of Albert Ojwang at the Central Police Station in Nairobi as unwarranted and blatant violations of the law.
The governor called out the police for their role in extrajudicial killings and what she termed as unjustifiable acts of violence against citizens.
Speaking during the distribution of climate change mitigation items at Kamiigua Grounds in Kutus, Governor Waiguru, who delivered a hard-hitting address, cited the death of Ojwang in police cells as a glaring example of state overreach and the erosion of democratic values.
“No leader of a sane mind can support the abduction of young people. We are insulted every day from morning to evening, but we don’t send people to arrest or kill. Leadership demands a higher level of tolerance. If you can’t control yourself, then you don’t qualify to lead.” Waiguru declared.
The governor said it was disturbing that in a democratic society, individuals could be abducted from their homes, detained in police cells, and end up dead without any immediate accountability. She demanded swift action, not mere rhetoric.
“We must see justice being done,” she said.
“It is not enough to say that investigations are underway. The people of Kenya deserve transparency and real consequences for those who abuse power.”
Governor Waiguru also condemned the police shooting of a young protester during recent demonstrations in Nairobi’s CBD, calling it unjustifiable and an indictment of law enforcement conduct.
“I watched the video myself, I saw a young man standing unarmed and unprovokingly, yet he was shot. There can be no justification for taking a life, even in the face of protest. We cannot descend into lawlessness where anyone with a gun feels entitled to shoot.” She said.
While reaffirming respect for law enforcement, the governor stressed that police must exercise restraint and be held to the same standards of accountability as the public.
“Police are trained to withstand provocation. If one lacks the mental endurance required to manage public pressure, then they should not be entrusted with a firearm,” she asserted.
She emphasised that while protests must remain peaceful and non-destructive, the police must uphold the law by respecting the constitutional right to picket and refrain from excessive force.
Governor Waiguru's remarks come amid growing national outcry over the rising trend of state-linked violence, with civil society groups, religious leaders, and human rights organisations calling for urgent police reforms and justice for victims.
