The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has demanded the resignation of Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, pointing to his failure to fulfill his primary duty of safeguarding Kenyans.
This call comes amidst widespread public concern regarding the supposed abductions of social media users who are critical of President William Ruto’s administration.
In a statement released on Friday, December 27, LSK President Faith Odhiambo characterized the police’s denial of involvement in the enforced disappearances as insufficient.
“If the individual in this position cannot meet this mandate, it would serve the nation’s best interest for him to either step up and perform his duties properly or resign immediately. Anything short of this would constitute a breach of public trust,” she stated.
Odhiambo also requested clarification regarding the police IG’s statement denying police involvement in the abductions.
“It is not enough for the Inspector General of Police to simply reject claims of police involvement in these abductions without clearly stating the measures being taken to tackle these severe violations. The Inspector General seems to be unaware of his obligations under the law or unable to fulfill them effectively. This represents a serious neglect of duty that must not be accepted in a constitutional democracy,” noted the LSK President.
Odhiambo urged the police to investigate and hold accountable those responsible, assure Kenyans of their security, and collaborate with other security agencies to regain public confidence.
On Thursday, Kanja rejected accusations connecting police officers to the recent surge in abductions targeting young Kenyans. He assured the public that no police station in the country is detaining any of the reported abductees.
“For clarity, the National Police Service is not involved in any abductions, and there is no police station in the country detaining the reported abductees,” he stated.
