During his confirmation hearing before the Senate and National Assembly joint security committees, Police Inspector General nominee Douglas Kanja was deeply affected by the events of June 25th, when demonstrators breached parliament.
Committee members probed into how the police were overwhelmed by the demonstrators and how they managed to access parliament, despite its status as a protected zone.
Kanja, who has served as Deputy Inspector General and Commandant of the General Service Unit since 2018, described the incident as the ‘lowest point’ of his police career.
Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda inquired, “Were you satisfied with the parliament invasion?”
Gabriel Tongoyo, the committee co-chair, questioned, “Why was there a lack of basic fire engines to address the situation? Was it due to negligence or unpreparedness?”
Kanja responded, “We were fully prepared, having dealt with similar issues before. However, the scale of the crowd was immense. Thika Road, Kiambu Road, and the Globe Roundabout were all obstructed, which even made it difficult to access water for the water cannons.”
He added, “We managed the demonstrations effectively, which is why we’re here today. Although the country’s security was at risk, we’re now safe.”
Kanja acknowledged that there is room for improvement in handling demonstrations to prevent breaches of protected areas.
The issue of police using excessive force, leading to the killing and injury of unarmed demonstrators, was also addressed.
Kanja assured that extra-judicial killings would not be tolerated under his leadership.
Kanja stated, “No country can tolerate extra-judicial killings; such acts are illegal. If excessive force is used by an officer, we have oversight bodies, and several investigations are ongoing into the recent demonstrations. This shows that any misuse of force will be addressed.”
Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Jehow questioned why police officers were not in proper uniforms during the demonstrations and arrests.
She asked, “Why were police officers conducting operations without uniforms and concealing their faces, despite court rulings on this issue? What steps will you take to address this?”
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma added, “This is a serious issue, as we saw in Nyalaenda where non-uniformed individuals were involved in shootings. The nominee must clarify how he will handle this.”
Kanja responded, “I will address this issue as it is critical. We will adhere to regulations and ensure proper uniform use. I will lead the joint service board to enforce accountable policing and proper attire.”
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