Nairobi, 9 February 2026

The Police Reforms Working Group Kenya (PRWG-K) strongly condemns the recent decision to transfer police officers implicated in the brutalization of civilians in Nandi County. The Nandi County incident is not an isolated case. Similar allegations of excessive force and police brutality have been reported across several counties, underscoring systemic gaps in accountability, supervision, and disciplinary enforcement within the National Police Service.

We maintain that administrative transfers are not a form of accountability; rather, they serve to entrench a culture of impunity within the National Police Service. By merely relocating officers accused of violence, the Service fails to address the underlying misconduct and instead risks spreading the same patterns of abuse to new communities.

Under the National Police Service Act, allegations of excessive force and abuse of authority must be met with prompt investigations and, where appropriate, immediate interdiction or suspension. Moving an officer to a different station undermines public confidence and creates significant hurdles for victims seeking justice. Accountability must be visible, lawful, and act as a deterrent. Anything less than a formal disciplinary process signals a dangerous tolerance for brutality and violates the Service’s constitutional mandate to protect and uphold human rights.

PRWG-K further emphasises the principle of command responsibility. Senior officers who authorise, condone, or fail to prevent unlawful conduct bear responsibility for violations committed under their command. Where officers implicated in brutality are transferred without accountability and subsequently cause harm in new postings, vicarious responsibility arises, exposing commanders and the Service to legal and institutional liability for foreseeable violations.

PRWG-K calls upon the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to:

1. Conduct thorough and independent investigations into the conduct of the officers
   involved in the Nandi County incidents.
2. Provide regular public updates on the status and progress of these investigations
   to ensure transparency.
3. Recommend formal disciplinary proceedings for service offenses and ensure the
   full enforcement of legal sanctions.

The Working Group is also concerned by recent public utterances by Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno suggesting “shoot-to-kill” directives. While PRWG-K recognises the difficult task faced by security agencies in responding to violent crime, the use of force must comply with the law. Section 1, Part A of the Sixth Schedule to the National Police Service Act, 2011, clearly sets out the rules governing the use of force and firearms, anchored on the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, accountability, and last resort. Any directives or conduct outside this framework are unlawful and
endanger lives.

PRWG-K reiterates that sustainable public safety cannot be achieved through unlawful force or administrative cover-ups. Meaningful police reform requires independent oversight, firm disciplinary action, and unwavering adherence to constitutional and legal standards.

ENDS
This statement is issued by the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya, an alliance of national and grassroots organizations committed to professional, accountable, and human rights-compliant
policing