Constitutional lawyer Ndegwa Njiru has reminded Kenyans that all police officers in the country are under the command of the Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome.
In a social media post, Njiru noted that the police officers’ actions during the Azimio la Umoja protests were a reflection of the orders and commands they received from their boss, IG Koome.
He explained that Koome is the one who issues orders to police officers to act in a specific manner, either to engage in a situation or to ignore and withdraw. Njiru alleged that police officers guarding former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Northlands property did not engage the invaders who stormed the property and started looting livestock and cutting down trees because they had not been commanded to engage the intruders.
The officers were told to freeze and withdraw from the property, and only the IG has the authority to issue such orders.
Earlier, some Azimio leaders had pointed fingers at three politicians, including Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and Kimani Ichung’wah, who represent the Kikuyu constituency, and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as the people behind the raid on Uhuru’s property. ODM leader Raila Odinga had claimed that the three politicians held a secret meeting in Karen and planned to attack Azimio protestors. Kimani Ichung’wah is also on record talking of telling those without land to prepare to get pieces of land from Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, Njiru’s post appears to clarify that the police would have taken action against the intruders if they had been commanded to do so by the IG. The incident has raised concerns about the security of private property and the role of the police in maintaining law and order during protests.
