NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 12 – Former Chief Justice and 2027 presidential aspirant David Maraga has sharply condemned what he described as a disturbing pattern of police violence and impunity, demanding that security agencies publicly explain the deployment of hooded officers during demonstrations in Nanyuki and the presence of armed plain-clothes officers inside a university hostel.

📻 Breaking It Down

In a statement issued Friday, Maraga said the recent killings of protesters in Laikipia County and the shooting of students at Multimedia University represented serious violations of constitutional rights and raised urgent questions about police accountability.

“I speak today with a heavy heart and a conscience that will not stay silent,” Maraga said, warning against what he termed the growing normalization of excessive force by law enforcement officers.

His remarks follow violent demonstrations in Nanyuki, where three people were reportedly killed and at least 50 arrested after police dispersed protesters using live ammunition.

📌 What You Need to Know

Among the dead, Maraga said, was a man who had closed his shop to avoid the unrest but was allegedly shot while heading home.

He further accused police of targeting journalists covering the demonstrations and criticized the use of masked officers who could not be identified.

“The hooded officers in Nanyuki deserve particular attention,” he said. “When a state agent covers their face while executing a state function, they sever the chain of accountability that democracy depends on.”

Maraga also expressed concern over events at Multimedia University of Kenya’s Rongai campus, where students protesting the suspension of examinations allegedly encountered armed officers who entered hostels and fired live rounds.

According to Maraga, four students were shot during the confrontation, including Victor Kariuki, who remains hospitalized with a bullet lodged near his spine.

“These are students. Kenya’s students,” he said. “They were met not with dialogue but with armed officers.”

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya