NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 21- It is business unusual at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, following the disbandment of the Special Service Unit, which the government has accused of committing extrajudicial killings, abductions, and enforced disappearances.
Already, more than 20 officers who were formerly attached to the now disgraced unit have been questioned by the Internal Affairs Unit, and their statements were recorded.
“There is a lot of tension,” a senior detective based at the DCI headquarters located along Kiambu Road told Shahidi News.
In his address on Thursday, during the Mashujaa Day celebrations, President William Ruto called for expeditious investigations of members of the disbanded unit, and those found culpable brought to book.
The independence of the National Police Service is essential for its institutional credibility and efficiency, citizen safety and welfare, and effective maintenance of law and order,” the President said.
“A professional police service fosters harmonious relationships with citizens and communities, cannot be weaponized in pursuit of divisive or partisan agenda and can never resort to disastrous policies like extra-judicial murder as part of policing.”
The President asserted, “I believe we can keep this country safe and secure without tormenting our people.”
“We can efficiently and effectively suppress crime, monitor, disrupt and apprehend criminals without abducting, torturing, killing or causing citizens to disappear. It is time to retire these terrible tactics and professionalise our criminal justice system.”
The new changes were triggered by the abduction of two Indian nationals said to be IT experts, alongside their driver, outside a city hotel.
They were in the country to assist President Ruto’s campaign team. Their whereabouts and safety remain unknown.
A two-day search at the Aberdare forest led to the discovery of bones and parts of clothes believed to be of the foreigners.
“There must also be robust mechanisms throughout the police service to maintain high
professional standards, scrupulous adherence to the rule of law, accountability for actions and decisions and operational transparency,” the President said on Thursday.
IG of Police Directive
Hours after the President issued the directive, Ag Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow directed DCI boss Amin Mohamed to urgently finalize all pending cases of reported missing persons.
He further directed all members of the National Police Service to “strictly” execute their mandate, as guided by the law.
“Our singular and foremost noble purpose is to protect lives, and not take them away unless under extreme circumstances and in strict accordance with the rule of law,” the IG said.
Gabow also directed the Internal Affairs Unit to finalize all matters “under investigations where police complicity in crime is a subject matter.”
Police officers have also been directed to work closely with all other players within the criminal justice sector.
“Whereas police officers should be tough on crime without fear or favor, we should nonetheless and at all times remain professional, responsive, and work closely with communities and the general public in addressing issues of common public concern,” the police boss said.
“This is a democratic policing ideal that should be the enabler of our service provision mandate.”
Meanwhile, senior police officers have been directed to supervise and offer guidance to their juniors on policy and best practices.
“Accountability of actions and inactions by officers resulting in poor policing outcomes shall be borne equally by supervisors as appropriate.”
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