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There is growing pressure on Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, following the transfer of several top police officers in the aftermath of the December 10 anti-femicide protests. 

Human rights organizations have criticized the transfers, calling them insufficient to address the underlying issues within the police force that led to the excessive use of force during the peaceful demonstration.

The transfers, which included Nairobi Central Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Doris Mugambi and Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Stephen Okal, were made after an investigation by the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) into the police’s actions during the march. 

The investigation followed reports of violent police tactics, including the use of excessive force, against protestors who were exercising their right to assemble peacefully. 

Mugambi and Okal were replaced by officers from Buruburu and Talaam, respectively.

However, four major human rights organizations — the Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya), Amnesty International Kenya, the Law Society of Kenya, and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit have raised concerns that these transfers are not enough. 

In a joint statement, they acknowledged the move as a step toward accountability but emphasized that it does little to address the systemic problems in the police force. 

The groups argued that the transfers alone would not prevent future misconduct and called for broader reforms within the National Police Service (NPS).

These organizations are calling for an overhaul of police practices, including better training for officers on handling public protests and assemblies. 

They also urged the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) to ensure that officers involved in the unlawful use of force during the march are criminally prosecuted. 

The lobby groups pointed out that merely transferring officers could embolden others to engage in similar behavior without fear of real consequences.

Furthermore, the groups demanded that the findings of the IAU investigation be made public to ensure transparency in the process. 

They also called for clearer guidelines on the use of force by police, particularly during protests, and stricter penalties for officers found guilty of abuse.

As public concern grows over police brutality and the handling of protests, these organizations are pushing for urgent and substantial changes to ensure that such events do not recur.