IG Kanja's presence at Ruto's rally sparks controversy over police independence

Police  Deputy IG Douglas Kanja before the National Assembly's Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) at the Continental House, Parliament Nairobi. (File, Standard)

Barely a day after fronting himself as a champion of the independence of State security agents, President William Ruto paraded Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja at one of his rallies in his ongoing tour of the Mount Kenya region.

In a livestream on Dr Ruto’s official Facebook page, as well as the State House Kenya’s official YouTube channel that The Standard saw, Kanja, in official regalia, is seen addressing a crowd in Kieni, Nyeri County on Tuesday, a new low for the National Police Service, which ought to be apolitical and independent from the Executive.

“Are you happy to see our President here? Are you grateful? Do you want him to come back again? We are still doing our work,” said Kanja, who spoke in in mother tongue, Kikuyu.