Police officers managing recent protests in Nairobi. IPOA July reports shows that police did not display their identity and service number while operating, a violation of the laws. Photo: AFP.
A report by Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has shown that police officers deployed by National Police Service (NPS) to manage protests operated without displaying service number and nametags as ruled by High Court.
The July 2025 report, which focused on June and July protests in the country, raises eyebrows on the conduct of police against accountability, transparency and excessive use of force while handling protesters.
According to the report, the first protest in the country this year was held in June 12, demanding justice for slain 31-year-old teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’ in police custody, whose murder is still yet to be unraveled.
IPOA however said the protests were peaceful with no injuries reported, despite lack of document to show its authenticity and notification to the Central Police Station, as required in the Public Order Act.
NPS however, is reported to have deployed both plain and uniformed officers with teargas canisters, rubber bullets and batons, as well as use their vehicles to block Harambee Avenue, Parliament Road, City Hall Way and National Treasury.
Additionally, the report stated that its observers noted police with no displayed identification, as required by Schedule Six of CAP 84 of the Constitution of Kenya, with a more chilling observance of officers in civilian clothes armed with whips, reflecting a unlawful control of the crowd.
In Tuesday June 17, that led to the shooting of late mask vendor Boniface Kariuki where protesters were demanding the resignation of DIG Eliud Lagat, IPOA notes that police deployed were from NPS special units including General Service Unit (GSU), Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU), and General Duty, with concealed registration number on vehicles they were using.
IPOA followed the case of Kariuki, which saw an officer identified as Klinzy Barasa interdicted and charged with murder, after he was captured shooting Kariuki who succumbed two weeks later from the injury.
The July report further indicated the presence of armed goons who infiltrated protests carrying crude weapons and wooden sticks, with no police injury reported.
As of July 23, IPOA had documented 65 deaths and 342 civilian injured respectively, and 172 injured police officers, contradicting an earlier report by Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen that documented 41 civilian deaths and over 300 police officers injured.
IPOA also indicating lack of transparency from police officers, who only reported 5 deaths to the Authority. It further highlights that it has appeared in 61 autopsies and confirmed that investigation are ongoing in the remaining cases.
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