Editor's Review

Maraga compared the number of Kenyans killed because of police brutality under Ruto's regime to that of his predecessors.

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has revealed that the police have killed at least 3,958 Kenyans since President Ruto took office in 2022.

Speaking while releasing the Taskforce Report on Police Reforms on Monday, August 31, Maraga explained that thousands of Kenyans were killed because of police brutality.

He stated that on average, 990 Kenyans died in police hands every year since 2022, a number he termed alarming.

Maraga explained that the number was higher, in comparison to that of Kenyans killed under the 10 years of his predecessors, Uhuru Kenyatta and the late Mwai Kibaki.

"A partisan police force was a root cause of the slaughter of 2007/2008. We should also not forget that under President Ruto, more deaths, currently at 3958 in four years (an average of 990 per year), are as a result of Police brutality, a number far beyond 4035 in 10 years for President Kibaki (who averaged 404 a year).

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"Not to mention that these Kibaki's numbers were inclusive of PEV and President Uhuru 4150 in 10 years (an average of 415 a year)," the statement continued.

A file photo of former Chief Justice and UGM Party Leader David Maraga.

The former President of the Supreme Court warned that a partisan police force was among the root causes of the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

Maraga read out the Taskforce's recommendation to address the issue. The proposal is to repeal the 2014 mutilation of Sections 12, 13 and 30 of the National Police Service Act, and end the Abuse of Section 80(2) of the Public Service Commission Act.

"Restore competitive recruitment of the Inspector-General, the Deputy Inspectors-General and the Director of Criminal Investigations. Make fresh appointments under Articles 232, 239. 244.245 and 246," he stated.

The United Green Movement (UGM) Party Leader further noted that the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin were illegally in office.

He argued that IG Kanja and DCI Amin should not have been appointed after they attained the age of 60 - the recommended retirement age for public officers.

"Section 80(2) allows a contract after that age only for rare skills the Service cannot otherwise find. In February 2024 the Commission extended then-DIG Douglas Kanja's tenure and that of DCI Mohamed Amin after they had crossed that line. 

"Later that year the President named Kanja, at 61, Inspector-General. What rare skills do they hold that other senior officers do not? Neither was chosen by open competition, and the result is that both occupy those offices illegally," the former Chief Justice opined.

Maraga's remarks came days after he threatened to release the report from the Taskforce on Police Reforms if President Ruto failed to make it public.

While he vowed to release it within seven days, he explained that he delayed it so that he could publish it on the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances,