Most Kenyans who participated in the survey conducted by Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA) agree that police used excessive force to deal with protesters during the recent demonstrations staged in different parts of the country.
According to TIFA’s report released on Thursday, July 18, 2024, most Kenyans raised widespread concerns over police actions which appeared to violate the rights of protesters.
Nairobi topped the regions where 90 per cent of the interviewed respondents noted that the security officers used excessive force during the protests.
Nyanza region followed with 86 per cent while Central came in third with 80 per cent.
“The perception of excessive force used by the police during protests is widespread, with significant concerns highlighted in the Nairobi and Nyanza regions,” TIFA’s survey report read in part.
“This sentiment reflects deep-rooted issues regarding law enforcement practices and raises critical questions about the balance between maintaining order and respecting the rights of protesters,” it added.
In the Eastern region, 76 per cent of the interviewed respondents also indicated that the police used excessive force thus violating the rights of protesters in the wake of anti-government demonstrations.
In the Rift Valley region, 65 per cent of the respondents told TIFA that the security officers used force during protests while 24 per cent disagreed indicating that they used an appropriate level of force. 11 per cent of those interviewed were not sure of whether police used force or acted professionally during the protests in the Rift Valley region.
The police have been called out for using excessive force while dealing with protesters in various parts of the country. Several deaths recorded during the protests have also been linked to police.
In a media roundtable interview, President William Ruto assured the country that any officer who would be found culpable of using excessive force would be prosecuted.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has since launched investigations into various cases of police shooting in the country during the recent protests. The oversight authority recently appealed to public help to find police officers linked to the shooting of Rex Masai Kanyike, the first victim of protests.
The TIFA survey was conducted between July 16, 2024, and July 17, 2024, involving a sample size of 1,507 all above 18 years. The responses were gathered through telephone interviews at the household level.
Majority support army removal from streets
According to the TIFA survey, majority of respondents supported the removal of the army from the streets to quell the protests.
“The broad support for withdrawing the army from the streets indicates a preference for non-military methods in managing
protestors.”