By Petra Njeri
Missing Voices Coalition demands urgent police reforms, after the 24% increase in extrajudicial killings and police enforced disappearances in 2024, to prevent reoccurrence of the violations.
Its 2024 annual report, the coalition documented a total of 159 cases of police enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, an increase from 128 cases in 2023.
Police enforced disappearances increased by 450% from 10 cases in 2023 to 55 in 2024 marking the highest number of cases since 2019, which recorded 38.
Extrajudicial killings reduced by 12% from a total of 118 cases in 2023 to 104.
The protest period between June and August recorded the highest toll of 58 cases.
“Deeply disconcerting to any person of conscience,” highlighting the sharp increase in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances as a disturbing trend of state-sponsored intimidation and suppression, often carried out with impunity,” stated Former CJ David.
The report highlighted a disproportionate impact of police brutality on the youth between 18-34 years at a staggering 79 cases followed by adults at 18 cases and 7 cases of minors below 18 years.
During the launch of the Missing Voices Report, Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo emphasized that the report is more than a collection of statistics, it serves as a mirror reflecting both the brutality of impunity and the resilience of accountability.
“These are not isolated incidents caused by ‘bad apples’,” she stated.
“They are manifestations of deep-seated institutional decay that must be confronted through firm constitutional action,” she added.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) reported that 2 out of 60 cases reported have been taken to court.
This was in response to the BBC Documentary ‘Blood Parliament’ that shed light on police murders during GenZ protests.
At the launch of the report, IPOA Chairperson, Ahmed Issack Hassan, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to the promotion of professional and accountable Police Service.
“We need to hold our government accountable. We need to hold our Security forces accountable and for Justice for victims and families,” stated IPOA Chairperson.
In response the coalition advocates adoption of the doctrine of Command responsibility that would hold senior police officers accountable where abuses cannot be linked to individual officers.
It further calls for IPOA and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to adopt advanced technological tools such as the Photo metadata analysis to strengthen evidence gathering in cases of unlawful and excessive use of force by police.
Among its broader demands , the coalition called for the National Police Service to undertake radical reforms and enhance community policing to prevent reoccurrence of police violence seen in 2024 and bridge trust gap between public and security agencies.
Furthermore, it calls for the State to comply with the ratified law of The Convention for the Protection of Persons from all endangered disappearances signed in 2007.