UK-Based Justice Council Demands Immediate Suspension of Kenya’s Top Police Chiefs over Killings and Disappearances
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By Dennis Wanyonyi
The Justice and Equity Council (JEC), UK Chapter, has issued a scathing statement condemning what it describes as a spiraling crisis of abductions, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings in Kenya, with the recent death of blogger Albert Ojwang sparking renewed outrage.
In a strongly worded appeal addressed to the Kenya Police Service Commission, the Council is calling for the immediate suspension and investigation of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Douglas Kanja, his deputy Mr. Langat, and the Director of Criminal Investigations, Mr. Mohamed Amin. The Council accuses the top police chiefs of gross misconduct, dereliction of duty, and complicity in what it terms a “reign of terror” targeting Kenyan citizens.
The statement cites a series of recent high-profile disappearances and killings—including those of Gideon Kibet, Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, and Bernard Kavuli—and links them to police inaction or outright abuse. The Council accuses the leadership of the National Police Service of fostering a culture of impunity and violence.
“What we are witnessing is the transformation of Kenya into a police state, where the reputation of the service now takes precedence over the lives of citizens,” the statement reads. “This cannot and will not be allowed to take root.”
The Council dismissed claims by the Inspector General that blogger Albert Ojwang died by suicide in police custody. Instead, they allege foul play, asserting that evidence contradicting the suicide claim has been tampered with in a deliberate cover-up. They argue that whistleblowing and public accountability are being criminalized, pointing to an alarming trend in which critics of state agencies are being targeted for elimination.
Under Article 2 of the 2010 Constitution, the Council reminds the Police Service Commission that it holds the legal and moral responsibility to hire and fire senior police officers. It further cites constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom from torture, mistreatment, and illegal detention—rights it says are now routinely violated by police.
The JEC UK chapter is also urging Parliament to establish a special select committee to investigate lawlessness within the police service and expose the “criminal political elements” enabling the impunity. They call for a complete overhaul of the current leadership and assert that failure to act will further erode public trust in the rule of law.
In conclusion, the Council appeals to all Kenyans to prepare for what it calls “the mother of all battles”—a public resistance campaign aimed at reclaiming the nation’s sovereignty and protecting human rights from what they describe as a state-sponsored culture of fear and repression.
“The time has come to say no. Not again,” the statement ends. “History will judge those in power—and the people will remember who stood by silently when the lives of fellow citizens were taken without justice.”
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