Kenya’s police chief, Japhet Koome resigned on Friday following intense criticism over the conduct of officers during last month’s anti-government protests, which resulted in at least 39 deaths.
President William Ruto’s office announced Koome’s resignation a day after Ruto dismissed nearly his entire cabinet in response to protester demands. Koome’s deputy, Douglas Kanja, has been appointed acting police chief.
The demonstrations against proposed tax increases began peacefully but turned violent. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition, while some protesters stormed parliament. Although Ruto scrapped the tax increases, protests have continued, with activists demanding the president’s resignation and sweeping political changes to address corruption and poor governance.
They have also accused police of using excessive force and abducting dozens of people to quell the protests.
Ruto, in office since September 2022, acknowledged during an event on social media platform X that reported abductions were regrettable and promised accountability for any officers found responsible. Amnesty International reported that the body of Denzel Omondi, a protester who disappeared during the demonstrations, was discovered last week in a quarry outside Nairobi, calling for an independent investigation into his death. Police officials have yet to comment on the Amnesty report.
On Friday, at least eight other bodies were found in a quarry in Mukuru, a collection of slums in Nairobi, according to reports. “Most of them have decomposed, but one was fresh. We don’t know if we can relate it to protests or it’s femicide since most of them are women,” said Miriam Nyamuita, an activist with the Mukuru Community Justice Centre. Human rights activists have called for immediate investigations.
A government spokesperson shared a police statement on X, stating that authorities were analyzing samples to identify the deceased and that investigations were underway.
