Police Used Excessive Force on Protesters Resulting in 65 Deaths, IPOA Reports

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has condemned Kenya’s police force for using disproportionate force during recent protests, leading to 65 civilian deaths across the country.

In a damning report released Thursday, IPOA revealed that the fatalities occurred during four major demonstrations between June and July 2025, including the June 25 anti-Finance Bill commemorative protests and the Saba Saba demonstrations on July 7.

The oversight body documented widespread violations of constitutional policing standards, with officers treating peaceful protests as riots and deploying lethal crowd control measures that contravened Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution.

“Police dispatched to quell the riots used lethal crowd control measures that resulted in fatalities,” the IPOA report stated, highlighting significant breaches that included unprofessional conduct and failure to uphold public safety.

Systemic Failures Exposed

IPOA Chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan pointed to multiple systemic issues, including police officers operating without name tags, using vehicles with concealed number plates, and commanders hiding their rank insignia during operations.

The authority also criticized police for failing to intervene when counter-protesters, some allegedly hired by business owners, infiltrated peaceful demonstrations with crude weapons and motorcycles.

Officers Left Without Basic Provisions

In a troubling revelation, IPOA found that police officers deployed during the protests were not provided with meals, water, or allowances throughout their deployment.

Despite this, 171 officers sustained injuries during the demonstrations.

“The Inspector General of Police should allocate sufficient budget to ensure that meals, water and allowances are provided for police officers deployed during protests,” IPOA recommended.

Mass Arrests

The protests resulted in 1,126 arrests, with 223 suspects arraigned in court.

The highest number of arrests occurred during the July 7 Saba Saba protests, where 720 people were detained.

IPOA has called for comprehensive reforms, including the use of body cameras by officers, proper identification of all police personnel, and establishment of dedicated medical units for protest areas.

The authority has committed to continued monitoring of police operations to ensure accountability and adherence to constitutional policing standards.