Kenya’s police force has historically been an instrument of political control, a consequence that dates back to the colonial period. Before independence, the colonial police were used to suppress dissent and enforce the interests of the British Empire. Unfortunately, this oppressive structure continued after independence, with successive regimes adapting the police to serve their political agendas rather than the public good.
Despite numerous constitutional reforms, the institution remains entrenched in regime policing-a hallmark of dictatorship. Regime policing is a coercive and punitive approach that protects regimes rather than citizens, serves a regime rather than the people, controls rather than safeguards populations, and upholds the interests of a dominant group. Regime policing is antithetical to democratic policing and the envisioned transformation from a force to a service as outlined in Article 238(2)(b) of Kenya’s constitution, which states that “national security shall be pursued in compliance with the law and with the utmost respect for the rule of law, democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms.”
This pattern has severely curtailed civic and political freedoms, as witnessed in 2024. When William Ruto’s regime faced public outrage over the soaring cost of living and proposed tax hikes, citizens took to the streets in protest.
Instead of addressing the economic grievances, the regime unleashed the police to quell dissent. This cycle of repression is a direct reflection of the political leadership. In Kenya, the police have consistently mirrored the character of the ruling regime: rogue governments produce rogue policing.
However, despite the common aspects of regime policing, 2024 was unique. The year witnessed a unified demand for fundamental freedoms and human dignity. The youth led this charge and boldly challenged the status quo online and in physical spaces. In response, the police unleashed unprecedented violence: abductions, mass killings, arbitrary arrests, deployment of more lethal crowd-control weapons, and intimidation of the media and human rights organizations-all carried out with impunity and disregard for court orders.