Leaders push for Bill to prevent police brutality

A group of legislators who attended the burial of a slain boda boda rider have said that a Bill will be presented before Parliament seeking to abate police brutality.

Senate Majority Leader Kindiki Kithure, Moses Kuria (MP, Gatundu South), Muthomi Njuki (MP, Chuka-Igambang'ombe) and Alex Muiru (MP, Tharaka), at the funeral of Josephat Mwenda on Monday, said that the Coroners Bill will be presented before Parliament goes on recess.

He added that the Anti-Torture Bill will also be passed.

"As a government we are saddened by the heinous crime committed against Mwenda, Muiruri and Mwangi. We will not allow such killings to continue," Prof Kindiki said.

Mr Mwenda was killed along with lawyer Willie Kimani and a taxi driver Joseph Muiruri, with the killings being implicated on police officers.

They were abducted while leaving a court in Mavoko and their bodies found a week later on July 1 in a river in Ol-Donyo Sabuk, Machakos County.

Leaders warned that the Inspector General of Police will be sacked if he does not end extrajudicial killings. So far, four Administration Police officers have been arrested and charged with the murders.

Senator Kindiki said Mr Joseph Boinnet will be shown the door if he does not put his house in order, just like his predecessor David Kimaiyo and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku.

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa added that they will join hands with human rights defenders to fight misuse of power by police. They will also endorse the strengthening of the Independent Police Oversight Authority to act on rogue officers.

The legislators also called for the assessing of officers' human rights track record when being vetted. Mr Mwenda, survived by two widows and three children, was eulogised as a humble man.

Mwangi and Muiruri's remains were interred on Saturday.

The Tharaka Nithi senator further said the government will compensate the families of the three if ascertained police murdered them.

Editing by Philip Momanyi