Charles Owino defends police, slams politicians over protest chaos
According to Owino, most protest-related deaths occurred during politically charged demonstrations, not ordinary police operations.
Former police spokesperson Charles Owino has attributed the deadly clashes that often erupt during protests in Kenya to political interference, not the actions of the police.
Speaking during a recent TV interview, Owino stated that most protest-related deaths occurred during politically charged demonstrations, not ordinary police operations.
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He explained that while the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, many protests escalate into violence due to poor coordination and the involvement of politically motivated groups.
“It’s not the police; it’s the politicians,” Owino said, stressing that both the government and opposition have weaponised the police to advance their agendas.
Owino argued that despite major reforms since the 1990s, including the creation of oversight bodies like IPOA, politicians from both the government and the opposition continue to use the police to serve their interests, turning peaceful demonstrations into violent and sometimes deadly confrontations.
"We must be honest with ourselves. The real source of conflict between the police and the public is not the police themselves but the political interests of our leaders. Whether in power or opposition, politicians are using the police as pawns, pulling them in all directions for their agendas," Owino stated.
He also criticised how some protests are conducted, saying many fail to meet legal requirements, such as notifying the police in advance and providing clear leadership.
According to him, when demonstrations are not properly organised, they lead to confusion and create opportunities for violence.
This follows public outrage and viral video footage showing armed individuals assaulting peaceful demonstrators in Nairobi’s Central Business District during Tuesday’s protests.
The demonstrators were demanding justice for Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger who died while in police custody. The attackers, some carrying clubs, were spotted operating near police officers in what appeared to be a coordinated attempt to break up the gathering.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander George Seda, however, dismissed allegations that police colluded with goons during the protests, insisting that officers followed legal procedures and did not cooperate with the attackers.
“The goons and the police had no relationship…it was difficult to distinguish between the goons and the protesters,” he said during a press briefing.
He confirmed that investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend those behind the attacks.
“We’ve launched a probe to uncover who these individuals were, who may have paid or organised them, and how they got involved in the protest. Once we capture a few, we believe we’ll reveal the broader network,” he said.
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