Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has called for a comprehensive overhaul of police training and accountability systems, arguing that the country risks sliding into lawlessness if security officers are not held to higher professional standards.
Speaking at Kamiigua Grounds in Kutus during the distribution of climate change mitigation items, Waiguru used the platform to shift the national conversation from isolated incidents of brutality to the broader structural failures within law enforcement.
“We are dealing with a deeper crisis than just individual misconduct. What we’re seeing is a systemic tolerance of impunity that must be addressed at policy level,” Waiguru said.
Her remarks follow public outrage over the death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody and the shooting of Boniface Kariuki, a street vendor, by a police officer in Nairobi. While condemning both incidents, Waiguru went a step further, questioning the ethos and preparedness of the police force.
“Police officers are not just public servants—they are the face of state power. If they cannot operate with restraint and respect for life, then the state itself is in crisis,” she said.
Waiguru called on the National Police Service Commission and the Ministry of Interior to immediately audit recruitment and psychological readiness among officers, saying that emotional instability behind the badge is a national threat.
“You don’t arm someone who cannot manage provocation. Guns are not anger management tools,” she warned.
While Waiguru reaffirmed her support for law and order, she challenged the culture of silence among leaders when abuses occur. “No leader in their right mind should support the abduction or killing of our youth. Silence in the face of injustice is complicity,” she stated.
She also warned against the normalization of violence in public discourse, stating that verbal provocation—no matter how harsh—does not justify lethal force.
“If we justify every violent response in the name of respect or discipline, we’re heading down a dangerous path. Our Constitution protects the right to life, and that must never be negotiable,” Waiguru added.
The governor concluded with a call for balance: peaceful protests must be protected, and law enforcement must act within constitutional limits. She urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to fast-track investigations and ensure justice is both done and seen to be done.
“This is not about police versus protesters. It’s about restoring faith in the rule of law,” she said.
