Scribe urges Ruto administration to take action against disbanded ‘killer’ DCI unit

Action must be taken against the rogue police officers who were part of the now disbanded Special Service Unit (SSU) of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which has been accused of killing Kenyans, according to veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho.

In a piece published on the Daily Nation on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, Gaitho not only urged President William Ruto’s administration to arrest and prosecute all officers who perpetrated criminal incidents on civilians, but also asked the government to ensure such criminal police units do no resurface.

“President Ruto has made good on one of his campaign promises by ordering disbandment of the DCI’s Special Services Unit, which is accused of a string of extrajudicial killings. Kenya has a long history of such units being disbanded but soon springing back under a different name to drive the dirty work against terrorism and violent organised crime,” the scribe said.

“Our seriousness about ending the culture of police death squads will be judged when the perpetrators are not just moved sideways but arrested and prosecuted. Such shadowy outfits have existed not just as DCI operations but crucial cogs within the entire national security edifice, sanctioned at police headquarters and even Cabinet level.”

Gaitho’s stance mirrors those of multiple human rights defender organizations, which have continued to pile pressure on the National Police Service to arrest and prosecute all officers within its ranks that perpetrate crime.

Missing Voices has been at the center of the push, and continues to urge accountability in the police service.

With political goodwill, we believe all the rogue police elements can be brought to book and justice served in accordance with Kenyan laws. With the reshuffle of the top leadership of the Service, Missing Voices and Kenya at large hope for the realization of a police force devoid of criminals.