"You cannot stop the DCI from operating how they operate."Ex-police boss Owino

In the wake of a high court order instructing the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers to cease hiding their identities during public demonstrations, Charles Owino, the chairperson of the Council of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), has expressed strong reservations about the practicality of such a directive.

File photo of Charles Owino, the chairperson of the Council of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC)

Speaking on Citizen TV's Daybreak show, Owino, who previously served as the Police Spokesperson, highlighted the challenges of altering the operational methods of DCI officers. "You cannot stop the DCI from operating the way they operate. You cannot ask them to put on uniform when they are used to operate in civilian clothes," he remarked, emphasizing that the use of unmarked vehicles and civilian attire has long been the standard for the DCI.

Owino explained that during the recent chaotic protests, DCI officers, often seen in unmarked Subarus with concealed faces and armed with deadly firearms, were deployed specifically to apprehend individuals who infiltrated the protests with criminal intent. "If there are criminals entrenched, then it calls for DCI officers at times to get involved in supporting the persons managing riots to maybe pick individuals who could be criminals in these teams," he stated. He added, "In those cases, they will use unmarked cars and will not have uniforms because those are their standard procedures."

The controversy over the DCI’s methods has been fueled by allegations of abductions linked to these officers, with many pointing fingers at them as the main suspects behind a series of disappearances during the protests. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), which petitioned the court, has been particularly vocal about the issue, consistently condemning police brutality, including the arrests and forced disappearances of protestors over the past two months.

Owino, however, suggested that the LSK's motivations might be self-serving, focused on addressing specific instances of alleged abductions. "It serves the interests of the individual who went to court, who maybe has a feeling that there were abductions and they were clear that it ought not to be the police involved," he noted.

Led by its president Faith Odhiambo, the LSK continues to advocate for the unconditional release of all protestors detained by the police, maintaining a firm stance against what they perceive as excessive force and unlawful detentions.