Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki while appearing in Parliament on Wednesday, April 12 stated that his ministry will defend any officer who uses firearms to enforce law and order.
The Interior CS noted that the defense must be employed to protect officers and innocent persons from being gunned down by criminals.
“We have nothing to hide, and we have told our police officers that any officer who uses their firearms to enforce law and order and to defend themselves from being hurt by criminals in the manner in which the Constitution and the law allows, we will defend those officers openly,” he said.
Nonetheless, CS Kindiki cautioned members of the National Police Service irrespective of their ranks saying they will not be spared if they used lethal force outside constraints of the law.
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“We shall not protect officials who misuse their firearms to kill people other than what the law provides on the use of lethal force,” CS Kindiki stated.
Moreover, the Interior CS explained that in such cases, the government will help the victims find justice.
CS Kindiki made these remarks while responding to a question raised on the policy position on the use of lethal force by police officers.
Furthermore, the interior CS stressed that officers have not been directed to shoot-to-kill any demonstrators or suspects.
“The policy of this administration is zero tolerance on extrajudicial killings, the police officers have been informed accordingly,” he said.