Lobby calls for ouster of police IG over abductions

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja. [File Standard]

Justice and Equality Kenya, a UK-based non-governmental organisation, has called for the removal of Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, joining several other groups in condemning the rising cases of abductions in Kenya.

The call follows similar sentiments by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) urging the IG to resign, accusing him of failing to fulfill his core mandate of protecting Kenyans.

In a statement, Justice and Equality Kenya appealed to President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to take decisive action against the abductions.

“We have not seen any tangible action by the Interior Cabinet Secretary or the Inspector General of Police to address these forced disappearances. There has been no report on the status of investigations to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of measures being employed to tackle this serious issue,” the lobby group said.

The group expressed disappointment in the IG’s recent statement, which, they said, lacked substantive actions to curb the criminal activities.

Justice and Equality Kenya has further urged Kenyans to prepare for mass action if the government fails to address the issue of forced disappearances by January 5, 2025.

“We call on Kenyans from all walks of life to prepare for the mother of all battles to reclaim our sovereignty. We must reject the reign of terror perpetuated by criminal elements within the police directorate and their political accomplices. The mass action is set to begin on January 5, if these illegalities are not addressed by the President,” the statement read.

The LSK, in a separate statement, encouraged the public to share any information on the abductees or the circumstances of their abductions.

While attending a football match in Homa Bay on Friday,  Ruto urged parents to keep a closer watch on their children and assured the public that the government would end the spate of abductions.