- Operation Linda Jamii have petitioned at parliament to remove from office Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome
- The lobby group, led by Dr Fred Ogola, told National Assembly that, Mr Koome has blatantly refused to adhere to the constitution that brought him in office
- Members of Parliament have taken up the matter and vowed to investigate thorough before they make necessary recommendations over his fate
Members of National Assembly from both political divide were on Thursday 27th July, exchanged bitter words with opposition accusing security agencies over anarchy
Kisumu County Women Representative Rosa Buyu tabled a motion seeking independent institutions to take stern actions on the police officers who aided the brutality of protesters leaving hundreds injured
Supporting the motion, National Assembly Leader of Minority Opiyo Wandayi demanded Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Prof Kithure Kindiki and Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to take full responsibility over the heinous mass killings
“You are killing the youths with live bullets while demanding for just government and fighting for their rights, yet you are the one who traversed the whole country promising them jobs and instead you shoot to kill,” Wandayi asked furiously
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His counterpart, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa brushed him off saying “I must tell you the truth, you are using goons in the name of demonstrations. Those younger energetic could be used in building the country instead of blocking public roads and vandalizing public utilities,” Ichung’wa poked
Outside Parliament buildings, a lobby group had camped there, seeking Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula to constitute a tribal under Justice and Legal Affairs Committee in order to investigate and recommend the removal from office of Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome
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In a petition which was presented at Parliament by Operation Linda Jamii, wad received by the representative of the National Assembly Clerk Jeremiah Ndombi
The society led by Prof Fred Ogola, highlighted circumstances in which Koome has illegally ordered or implemented some of unpopular policies
“The main reason of removal from office is that Japheth Koome under instructions from all his bosses illegally illegalized a legally protected constitutional right of Kenyans as protected and espoused by the constitution to cause mayhem and kill innocent demonstrators,” Dr Ogola voiced
Ogola reminded the both instruments of power that preamble of kenya’s constitution lists people have sovereign authority and the IG has no right to suspend the constitution as many of the allied politicians argued
“An office bearer who is brought in with the blessings of the constitution can’t use his office to suspend the same that brought him in office. If so indeed wishes to do so, should leave his job because the constitution brought him that office,” He added
The lobby group maintained that Mr Koome committed a sin of either commissioning by instructing police officers to shoot and kill or by omissioning by not putting a clearly instruments that they should not shoot anybody with the live amunations
Prof Ogola wondered when and how Interior CS congratulated police for using excessive force. They have not blamed the police officers who used live bullets to kill 50 people unless they had their blessings,” part of the statement read
Koome has also beenaccused on the 5th day of June, 2023 orchestrated the promotion of both high-ranking officers at the national and regional levels knowing very well that was an exclusive jurisdictional preserve of the National Police Commission
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He potentially rewarded his cronies who were unmerited for promotion. He also purported to nullify the promotions that had been done by the National Police Service Commission and intimidated officers who had been meritoriously handed promotions from taking up the promotions correctly done by the NPSC.
“These acts by Mr. Koome points to a man who is bullish in appreciating that the Police is no longer a force but rather a service and in the process utterly violating the constitution,” They underlined.