IPOA in bed with police, former chairperson Njeru claims

Lawyer Macharia Njeru, the founding chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), has questioned the agency’s independence amid growing public criticism over its perceived inefficiency.

The Authority is under fire for sluggish investigations into incidents of police brutality, most notably, the death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’, who died earlier this month while in custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.

Public outrage has also intensified after an unarmed civilian, identified as Boniface Kariuki, was shot by police during protests on Tuesday. 

“I really hope that IPOA is able to do the right thing for Kenya. They have to…they have no choice. They have already let us down. I hope they realise this isn’t about them but about Kenya, and accountability,” Njeru said on Spice FM on Thursday, June 19. 

Njeru chaired IPOA’s inaugural board from 2012 until the end of its six-year term in 2018. 

He noted that several institutional changes, including to the agency’s recruitment process, may have prevented its effectiveness, amid growing public scrutiny.

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He further criticised the hiring of former police officers as investigators, warning that such appointments risk conflicts of interest and divided loyalties.

“The problem started when IPOA began being in bed with police officers. The moment they started recruiting police officers, that was their first mistake,” he noted.

He also pointed to political interference, alleging that IPOA’s leadership and staffing are heavily influenced by politicians.

“Unfortunately, it is the political class that determines who ends up in that place. If they don’t want you, they won’t get you there. They have influence through their representatives in the recruiting panels,” he remarked.

Njeru dismissed claims that underfunding is to blame for the authority’s shortcomings, urging IPOA to focus its limited resources on high-impact cases.

“I don’t buy the narrative about funding. We didn’t have much money during our time either. You can’t throw money into problems each time one comes up. Management dictates that you deploy the limited resources to high-impact areas.” 

IPOA is currently collecting statements from key individuals in its probe into Ojwang’s death.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat is expected to record a statement with the authority today, after being named in the ongoing investigation.