How police impunity exposes hypocrisy from top politicians

Some top politicians have become masters of hypocrisy. They are conspicuously absent and quiet when Kenyans are agitating for their rights or confronting the government about excesses, but rush to the homes of the grieving families to condole with them as they compete for photo opportunities when protesters are killed.

When the protesters die under rogue police officers and politically instigated goons, the politicians use the mourning period to endear themselves to mourners by donating money, offering caskets and promising jobs to the widows and orphaned children.

An example is the death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang. After his death, some politicians have instead of focusing on demanding for justice, they have offered money to the deceased's father, Meshack Opiyo.

President William Ruto ‘personally’ donated Sh2 million to support Ojwang’s family a few hours before Kenyans poured onto the streets to push for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, who had been mentioned over the death of Ojwang.

The President has avoided addressing the blogger’s death and the only time he discussed it was on June 11, three days after the murder, with Kenyans describing his condolence as ‘hollow’ since it failed to address the State’s interventions and response to Kenyans dying at the hands of police.

While the President condemned the actions and omissions, including any negligence or outright criminality, that may have contributed to Ojwang’s untimely death, he seemed to exonerate himself, arguing it was the police that was ‘custodian of the security of all persons and property'.

“It has been my conviction that affirming the institutional autonomy of the police service is key to raising its standards of professionalism, effectiveness, accountability, and credibility. The Service must therefore rise to the challenge of firmly dealing with crime and lawlessness, while also eradicating misconduct and unprofessional behaviour within its own ranks,” the President said.

Equally, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, ironically accused of sponsoring militia to terrorise protesters, was among the first politicians to meet Ojwang’s family and pledged his support.

Sakaja met Ojwang’s family at City Hall on Wednesday last week, who included his father, mother, widow, and three-year-old son and committed to covering burial expenses, funding the education of Ojwang’s son, George Miles, and clear outstanding college fees for his widow, currently pursuing a diploma in community health.

“This young man deserves justice. We will ensure his son’s future is secure and help his widow complete her studies and get a job with the county,” Sakaja said.

Although Sakaja on Tuesday disassociated himself from any gangs, militias, or politically sponsored groups, the goons who wreaked havoc in the city on Tuesday sang praises for the governor. They shouted ‘Sakaja tumelinda jiji’.

Sakaja’s statement on Saturday warned against the protests. "Last week, they caught me unawares. Let them come back. Let them try again. We will protect the capital city. Haven’t they announced the day they will be coming to protest, to let them try to touch someone’s business and property?"

Sakaja was responding to President Ruto’s personal aide Farouk who had charged him to prevent the protestors, saying, “They say they have started a holiday to burn Nairobi. Will they burn the country when we are around? What protests allow burning down other people’s property?”

However, Sakaja yesterday condemned the shooting of Boniface Kariuki, urging law enforcers to operate with restraint, professionalism, and respect for human rights, even as he denied being involved with the goons.

“I strongly condemn those who seek to take advantage of legitimate protests to incite violence and destabilise our city. We will not allow criminal elements to hijack our democratic space. We categorically dissociate ourselves from any gangs, militias, or politically sponsored groups that exploit demonstrations to engage in crime,” he said in a statement.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa has also been cited as a leader with two faces as he condemns the police while seemingly urging Kenyans not to provoke the police. Ichungwa, who spoke in Parliament moments after a police officer was filmed shooting a hawker in Nairobi, commended the police for their work and urged Kenyans to allow the investigative agencies to carry out their mandate.

“In every institution, there are officers who have excesses, but the law must be allowed to take its course. That must never be a justification for members of the public to take the law into their own hands, as that will be courting disaster and chaos in the country,” he said.

Political analyst Charles Njoroge warned that the hypocrisy exhibited by the political class was only worsening the situation and urged them to show empathy and sympathy without taking advantage of the situation.

“Kenyans are enlightened, the habit of the political class to take advantage of the mourning of the victims of police excesses is not taken lightly by Kenyans as they feel the politicians laugh at them,” he said.

Njoroge took issue with the opposition leaders, who also sought to use the opportunity to drive the Opposition agenda saying their agenda was not necessarily aimed at comforting the bereaved families, but to achieve political mileage.