Recent claims by prominent lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi have caused anger and serious concern across the country, especially regarding how the police in Kenya treat people in their custody.
In a post on X, Abdullahi said that the police were “sabotaging the government from within” after the death of a young man in custody. Authorities later claimed that the man died after he hit his head against a wall inside the cell.
This explanation did not sit well with many Kenyans, who feel this is yet another excuse meant to hide the truth and protect the officers involved.This case has added fuel to long-standing concerns about deaths in police custody in Kenya. Many families and human rights activists have, for years, reported cases where people arrested by police ended up dead, often under suspicious circumstances.
Time and again, the police offer explanations that seem hard to believe, with claims that suspects harmed themselves or collapsed without any warning. Ahmednasir is not the only one who finds such stories unbelievable. Many Kenyans see these statements as attempts to avoid taking responsibility and to continue protecting officers, even when there are clear signs of abuse or wrongdoing.
The Kenya Police Service has been under criticism for years over allegations of violence, torture, extrajudicial killings, and a lack of accountability. This recent incident only adds to the growing list of such claims.
Sadly, this is not new. Data from groups like the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) show that there are hundreds of complaints every year against police officers, especially regarding their conduct during arrests and while suspects are in custody.
Despite this high number of complaints, it is rare for officers to be convicted or even seriously investigated. This makes many people believe that the system is broken, or worse, designed to protect police officers instead of ordinary citizens.What makes Ahmednasir’s comment even more serious is his suggestion that the police are not just abusing their power but actively working to weaken the government from within.
If that is the case, then it becomes more than just a police misconduct issue it becomes a national crisis. It suggests that some officers may be acting in ways that go against the country’s interest while hiding behind the uniform.
To fix this, experts are calling for stronger oversight, independent investigations, and serious reforms within the police service.
Social media platforms like X have become powerful tools for exposing these issues and bringing public attention to them. But public anger alone is not enough. If the government wants to rebuild trust, it must take action.
That means not just promising investigations, but actually delivering justice. If no real steps are taken, many fear that deaths in custody will continue, and the gap between the police and the public will keep growing.
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