Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has rushed out at the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for failing to reign on police officers alleged to be involved in abductions of innocent Kenyans.
Waiguru said recent wave of abductions allegedly being undertaken by people suspected to be police officers was giving the government a very bad image and therefore making it hard for leaders supporting the current administration to defend it.
The Governor claimed IPOA had failed in its mission to promote accountability and professionalism in the National Police Service (NPS) by allegedly allowing rogue police officers to continue perpetuating acts of abductions.
“I have said this several times and even the President has called for a stop to these abductions. IPOA must do its work, because you are making our work very difficult to defend the government if abduction becomes the news every day,” she said.
She said the agency must investigate and bring to book, police alleged to be involved in abductions and enforced disappearance of innocent Kenyans so as to arrest the situation.
Waiguru said IPOA must be held to account for allegedly failing in its duty of providing for civilian oversight over the work of the police in the country.
She said abductions and other acts of indiscipline have no place in our society and must stop because they were hurting families.
“As a mother, I can never be on the side of abductions, I can never be and there is no one in this Government who can support abductions,” she said.
The Governor said IPOA has all necessary tools to help investigate and bring to book, police alleged to be involved in abduction and enforced disappearance of Kenyans.
Terming abduction as unlawful, violation of human rights and inhumane, Waiguru warned that the issue of abductions was providing a campaign fodder to the opposition and called for a stop to the acts of lawlessness.
“IPOA, do your job, abductions are not part of this government and I can never be party to abductions. There are those who want to use this issue of abductions as a campaign tool, on our part, we are campaigning for this Government peacefully and we know people will listen to us,” she added.
