Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has absolved himself from the recent activities witnessed during the anti-government protests.
Responding to a question raised by Minority Whip Junet Mohamed during the vetting exercise on Thursday, August 1, 2024, Kindiki indicated that the National Police Service was in charge of the operation.
Kindiki explained that according to the Constitution, he is only required to give policy guidelines to the National Police Service and other security organs.
However, since the Police Service is independent, Kindiki reiterated that they are in charge of their own operations.
“The events the honourable member is referring to were mainly operational issues. The work of the Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Interior as envisaged in the constitution is to give organs of the national security that fall under that Ministry policy directions and policy guidelines.
“The Police is under independent command. There are only two people who can the Inspector General of Police directives; Cabinet Secretary for Interior but only on policy issues and the Director of Public Prosecution in matters investigations of criminal activities,” Kindiki stated.
“Therefore the Minister does not give operational directives,” he further elaborated on why he was quiet during the protests.
Nonetheless, Kindiki told the Committee on Appointment chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) will investigate and help to bring to book perpetrators of police excesses.
Record of victims
According to the former Interior CS, 42 deaths were recorded during the protests while 486 civilians sustained injuries.
During the protests, Kindiki further revealed that 1,387 people were arrested. 110 civilian cars and 54 belonging to security officers were destroyed during the demonstration, Kindiki explained.