Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has called for a review of the Independent Policing Oversight Act (IPOA) to expand the body's oversight mandate to include the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
Murkomen's recommendation follows recent incidents where both units have faced accusations of shooting, maiming, and facilitating the forced disappearances of innocent civilians, including the recent case of Nakuru-based fisherman Brian Odhiambo, who remains missing.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security, the CS noted the need for the amendment to address the glaring disciplinary issues within the two units of the police formations. ''On the question of how to hold the KWS and the KFS accountable, there is no reason why this committee has not considered amending the IPOA Act so that they can be held responsible for their actions,'' Murkomen stated. KWS officers conducting an exercise at a park in 2024.
Photo KWS Furthermore, the CS emphasised that there was no valid reason why the KWS and KFS departments lacked internal disciplinary protocols to address such cases.
