IPOA Launches Probe into Alleged Police Abductions and Brutality During June 25 Gen Z Anniversary Protests
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into allegations of enforced disappearances, police brutality and excessive use of force during the June 25 demonstrations that marked the second anniversary of Kenya’s Gen Z protests.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 1, the police watchdog confirmed it was examining multiple complaints arising from the nationwide demonstrations, particularly in Nairobi and Mombasa, where security agencies mounted extensive operations to prevent protesters from accessing central business districts.
According to IPOA, preliminary findings point to several troubling incidents, including allegations that some protesters were abducted, unlawfully detained and assaulted during or shortly after the demonstrations.
The Authority also raised concern over the conduct of some police officers, noting that personnel were seen operating while wearing balaclavas or plain clothes, carrying firearms and using unmarked vehicles with concealed registration plates despite existing court orders prohibiting such practices.
IPOA further questioned the deployment strategy adopted by the National Police Service (NPS), saying officers erected barricades along major roads in Nairobi and Mombasa to restrict movement even in areas where little or no protest activity had been recorded.
The watchdog’s preliminary assessment also indicates that police relied on crowd-control measures that included the use of tear gas and acoustic devices to disperse demonstrators in parts of Nairobi’s Central Business District.
“Preliminary findings indicate that police deployed public order management measures, including the erection of barricades along some major routes in parts of Nairobi and Mombasa, where minimal protests were recorded,” IPOA said.
The Authority revealed that investigators have already recorded statements from several individuals who claim they were abducted, detained or physically assaulted while participating in or passing near the demonstrations in Nairobi’s CBD.
Beyond gathering evidence, IPOA said it has facilitated psychosocial support for some victims who came forward to document their experiences, underscoring the trauma allegedly suffered during the protests.
The investigations come as tensions continue to simmer in parts of Nairobi, with fresh unrest reported in Mathare, Huruma and Kariobangi North in recent days.
IPOA disclosed that it is actively monitoring the evolving security situation in the three estates while separately investigating two reported abduction cases and allegations surrounding two police-related killings.
“The Authority is actively monitoring the evolving situation in Mathare, Huruma, and Kariobangi North. Further, the Authority is conducting investigations into recorded cases of alleged excess use of force by the police,” the watchdog stated.
The June 25 demonstrations, organised to commemorate the anniversary of the 2024 Gen Z anti-government protests, resulted in the arrest of 355 people across the country, according to official figures. Nairobi recorded the highest number of arrests, with 161 individuals taken into custody.
Human rights organisations have also raised alarm over a series of alleged enforced disappearances linked to the protests. Among the most widely publicised cases is that of Mathare activist Davis Lichuma, who was reportedly abducted, tortured and later found abandoned outside Kenyatta National Hospital.
The latest IPOA investigations are expected to pile fresh pressure on the National Police Service as demands grow from civil society groups and victims’ families for accountability over the handling of the demonstrations and the conduct of officers deployed during the protests.
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