Kenyans are expressing outrage after a plainclothes police officer was filmed shooting at the public at close range in Nairobi’s Central Business District. The video, which has gone viral, shows the officer, dressed in a black cap, blue shirt, and grey pants, firing his weapon at a crowd that was calmly observing as his colleagues loaded arrested protesters into a van.
Originally posted on TikTok and widely shared across other social media platforms, the shocking footage highlights the excessive force used by police during the anti-Finance Bill protests.
In the video, shared by Brian Robin, the officer and his colleagues had detained several protestors and were preparing to leave when the officer inexplicably opened fire on the crowd. The video has garnered over 200,000 views, with many Kenyans demanding the officer’s arrest and calling on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the incident.
Outraged citizens have also shared personal details of the officer online, including his name, phone number, wife’s name, and the year he joined the police service.
“It’s another day that IPOA has done nothing about the rogue cop. I am so mad at bureaucracy because we’ve all seen the videos, the evidence, but he’s still roaming free. Imagine what he’s doing in private,” read one comment.
“We demand the hasty arrest and detainment of the rogue cop. His acts are a direct portrayal of a crime against humanity,” stated another.
“What was the reason? Zero provocation, nothing. He was just like, ‘let me shoot one more to add to my list,'” another commenter noted.
The incident has sparked a broader discussion about the use of plainclothes officers who blend into crowds to apprehend protesters. According to Section 1 of the National Police Service Act 2011, officers must use non-violent means first and resort to lethal force only when non-violent methods are ineffective. Firearms may only be used when less extreme measures have failed, and an officer must act in self-defense or to protect others.
The Act further stipulates that an officer intending to use firearms must identify themselves and provide a clear warning, allowing sufficient time for the warning to be observed, unless the officer’s life is in immediate danger.
Human rights groups have condemned the government for extrajudicial killings, citing over 20 deaths and numerous injuries during the protests. This contrasts with President William Ruto’s statement, which claimed that six people had died during the protests and denied the occurrence of extrajudicial killings since he took office.
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