Punish, don’t transfer, rogue police officers

Despite the Ruto administration promised to wipe out extrajudicial killings, four civilians were shot dead, allegedly by police, during a demonstration in Isebania, Migori County, recently.

During his follow-up visit to the scene of crime (as it were), the Interior cabinet secretary, Prof Kithure Kindiki, ordered all the officers who were working at the police station transferred and interrogated while in their new workstations.

Even though not all the officers were involved in the contemptuous act, it would have been fair to halt the operations of all those officers in order to conduct the investigation. That would help to immediately subject the offenders to punitive consequences and allow the others to resume duty, even though in different stations.

Transferring the offenders is not only dangerous but seem to be a partial decision in favour of the officers. The families who lost their loved ones in the incident would want justice more than any other compensation. Allowing rogue officers to continue working is, therefore, a form of disrespect to the deceased.

The issue of police officers using excessive force in handling protesters and petty offenders has become daily news, an indication that serious measures ought to be taken to address the matter proficiently. No citizen should die again at the hands of brutal police officers.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) is already handling several such cases involving police officers who manhandle protesters. It would be easier to reduce the pile of investigations and apply a quick efficient method, extreme as it might be. This will also act as a reminder to other imprudent officers that they can be sacked.

Transferring rogue officers only gives them another chance to unleash their temper and lack of concern to more civilians. It is important to consider the psychological stability of police officers instead of being too lenient with them and giving them opportunities in other stations.

Yes, protesters could be annoying but there is a better way of managing them without resorting to chaos, injuries and even death. The more the police brutality cases, the more animosity is allowed to breed among police officers and civilians, and just transferring offensive officers agitates citizens, more so the bereaved families.

Lillian Owaga, Nairobi