Chief Justice Martha Koome has called on police officers to uphold professional, people-centred, and constitutional policing, even as Kenya continues to experience a rising wave of nationwide protests.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of new commissioners to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) on July 8, 2025, Koome emphasized the importance of maintaining a delicate balance between the public’s constitutional right to peaceful protest and the police’s duty to preserve law and order.
A Nation Under Strain
Koome acknowledged that the country’s democratic fabric has come under strain in recent times due to the widespread protests. She warned against acts of violence, looting, and destruction of public or private infrastructure during demonstrations.
“Members of the public must exercise their right to protest peacefully, without carrying arms and without engaging in acts of destruction, looting, or vandalism of government buildings, court infrastructure, or private businesses,” she said.
Call for Professionalism and Restraint
The CJ urged the police to respond to protests with restraint, proportionality, and strict adherence to human rights standards. She said it was incumbent upon the police to distinguish between peaceful demonstrators and criminal elements who infiltrate protests to incite violence.
“The police must avoid actions that could cause unnecessary harm or loss of life. It is also incumbent upon the police to distinguish between peaceful demonstrators and those who infiltrate protests to incite violence and loot,” Koome stated.
Swearing-In of New Commissioners
Koome presided over the swearing-in of Ms. Peris Muthoni Kimani, Mr. Benjamin Juma Imai, and Prof. Collette Suda as Commissioners of the National Police Service Commission. She also officiated the swearing-in of Mr. Abdullahi Nur Sheikh Kassim as a Member of the National Heroes Council.
She described the NPSC as “vital in upholding professional, accountable, democratic, and people-centered policing.”
Broader Political Context
Her remarks came just hours after the chaotic 35th Saba Saba Day commemorations, which left at least 11 people dead and hundreds arrested. They also follow Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s comments linking the rise in youth protests to widespread unemployment.
Kindiki, speaking at the Huawei Lip Jobs Fair 2025 at the University of Nairobi, noted: “Among the number of unemployed people we have, over 60% are youth. This drives young people into crime, drugs, and a general state of hopelessness.”
Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for independent investigations into alleged excessive force used during the Saba Saba protests.
Koome closed her speech by urging the appointees to serve with “courage, humility, and excellence,” and called on the National Heroes Council to honour those who have sacrificed for the country, saying, “It is them who inspire future generations through service, sacrifice, and patriotism.”
