Broken Shield: Kenya’s Crisis of Police Brutality, Impunity, and Public Mistrust Amid Renewed Calls for Reform

Byline: Nairobi, Kenya –

As the smoke clears from the latest rounds of tear gas and yet another mother buries her child lost to police bullets, Kenya faces a grim reckoning: the nation’s law enforcement system, once tasked with protecting life and property, is now at the center of a growing legitimacy crisis. With mounting reports of police brutality and extrajudicial killings — particularly during youth-led protests — calls for meaningful reform are intensifying. Yet systemic impunity continues to frustrate justice, deepening public mistrust and exposing the limits of past reform efforts.

A Pattern of Brutality Resurfaces

From the densely populated streets of Mathare to the open fields of Kisumu, eyewitness accounts, cellphone videos, and rights group reports have documented repeated incidents of excessive force by police against unarmed civilians — many of them youth — during the 2024 and 2025 protest waves.

According to data compiled by Missing Voices Kenya, at least 47 people have been killed by police between June 2024 and July 2025 in the context of peaceful demonstrations and civil unrest. The victims include students, boda boda riders, unemployed youth, and even minors. In some cases, those killed were bystanders caught in the crossfire.

In one widely circulated case, 17-year-old Lillian Akinyi was shot outside her family’s kiosk in Nairobi’s Kayole estate during a protest dispersal operation. Her mother, now part of a growing coalition of grieving families, spoke at a recent vigil: “They say they protect us. But who protects us from them?”

Structural Impunity: The Roadblocks to Justice

Despite graphic evidence and public outrage, police accountability remains rare. Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), formed in 2011 to investigate misconduct, has struggled with limited resources, bureaucratic delays, and alleged internal interference.

Since its establishment, IPOA has received over 20,000 complaints, but only a fraction have led to convictions. In many instances, victims’ families report being intimidated, evidence tampered with, or investigations dragged out until momentum dissipates.

“There is no real political will to hold officers accountable,” said Ruth Mumbi, a prominent human rights defender and community organizer in Mathare. “We keep giving names. IPOA keeps giving numbers. But there is no justice.”

A 2025 Amnesty International report noted that less than 3% of documented police killings result in successful prosecution, with most officers remaining on active duty during and after investigations.

Public Mistrust and the Erosion of Authority

This persistent failure of accountability has eroded public confidence in the police. A 2025 Afrobarometer survey found that 68% of Kenyans distrust the police, ranking them among the least trusted public institutions alongside Parliament.

Among young people — particularly in informal settlements — the relationship with law enforcement is marked by fear and resentment. “We don’t call the police when there’s a problem,” said Kevin, a 22-year-old community activist in Githurai. “They come to collect bribes or bodies.”

In regions such as the Coast, North Eastern, and parts of Nyanza, allegations of ethnic profiling and collective punishment further inflame tensions, reinforcing the perception that the police are a tool of state coercion rather than public service.

A History of Failed Reform

Kenya has attempted multiple police reform initiatives over the past two decades. Following the post-election violence of 2007–08, the 2010 Constitution mandated the creation of new oversight mechanisms and the transformation of the police from a “force” to a “service.”

Yet critics say the reforms have largely failed to address the culture of violence, chain-of-command opacity, and political shielding that sustain impunity. While cosmetic changes — such as new uniforms and PR campaigns — have been rolled out, operational reforms have stalled.

Notably, the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has come under fire for weak disciplinary action, lack of transparency in officer deployment, and insufficient coordination with IPOA.

Renewed Calls for a Civilian-Centered Security Framework

In the wake of recent killings, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and some lawmakers have renewed calls for independent tribunals, civilian review boards, and legal reform to reduce the scope of unchecked police powers.

Key recommendations include:

• Special courts for extrajudicial killings and torture cases to expedite justice.

• Mandatory body cameras and GPS monitoring for officers deployed in crowd control.

• A restructured IPOA with expanded prosecutorial powers.

• Mental health and trauma training for officers engaged in community policing.

“There is no public safety without public trust,” said Peter Kiama, Executive Director of the Independent Medico-Legal Unit. “Kenya must decide: will we have a police service that serves the people — or a force that rules through fear?”

The Stakes for Democracy

The crisis of police brutality is not just a law enforcement issue — it is a democratic emergency. The right to assemble, to speak, and to protest are all being undermined when security agencies operate with impunity.

As the youth-led movement continues to demand accountability not only from elected officials but from the very institutions that enforce state power, the urgency for reform has never been greater.

For the families mourning their children, for the youth dodging bullets to demand dignity, and for the nation at a crossroads, the question is no longer whether change is needed — it is whether Kenya’s leaders have the courage to deliver it.