Former Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) Chairperson Macharia Njeru has accused the watchdog agency of colluding with the very police it is meant to regulate.
Speaking during an interview that has now gone viral, Njeru did not mince words, stating that IPOA has lost its independence and is now “in bed with the police.”
His remarks have triggered national uproar, with civil society groups, legal experts, and citizens demanding immediate scrutiny of the institution’s operations. Njeru, who led IPOA from 2012 to 2018, lamented that the organization he once helped build has strayed from its core mandate of holding rogue officers to account.
“The moment you start working too closely with those you are supposed to oversee, the credibility of the institution is compromised,” he warned, hinting at deep-rooted systemic rot.
This allegation comes at a time when the public trust in law enforcement is already on the brink, following numerous reports of police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and cover-ups.
IPOA was originally formed to independently investigate complaints against the police, but Njeru’s claims suggest that the institution may now be compromised.His comments have prompted swift reactions across the political divide.
Several Members of Parliament have called for a parliamentary inquiry into IPOA’s conduct, while rights organizations are demanding the resignation of top IPOA officials.
Transparency International Kenya responded with a sharp statement, saying, “If IPOA is indeed colluding with the police, then the victims of police abuse have been denied justice by the very institution meant to protect them.”
Current IPOA leadership has yet to officially respond to the accusations, but sources within the agency say internal tensions are rising. A senior officer, speaking anonymously, admitted that there has been growing pressure from state agencies to “go soft” on certain high-profile cases.
Meanwhile, victims of police violence and their families are watching closely, many expressing renewed fear that justice may never be served.
“Now it makes sense why so many cases go unresolved,” said a relative of a young man killed during a protest last year. As pressure mounts, there are calls for President William Ruto’s administration to launch an independent audit of IPOA, including a review of unresolved cases and the agency’s interactions with law enforcement
.Kenya now finds itself at a crossroads. With public confidence in oversight bodies at an all-time low, this scandal could become the catalyst for either much-needed reform—or total collapse of faith in police accountability mechanisms.
The nation waits anxiously to see whether this explosive allegation will lead to action, or be swept under the carpet like so many scandals before it.
