The Impact of Political Tension on Community Security (2017)

Kill Those Criminals : Policing Abuses Shadow Kenya’s August 2017 Election
In the immediate aftermath of the 8 August 2017 general election in Kenya, a detailed investigation by Human Rights Watch (HRW) reveals shocking examples of excessive use of force by police and other security forces targeting civilians. The report, titled Kill Those Criminals – Security Forces’ Violations in Kenya’s August 2017 Elections, documents that during protests and counter-operations in Nairobi and western Kenya, officers opened fire on unarmed individuals, carried out door-to-door operations in informal settlements and systematically beat and harassed residents.
The report outlines how protests erupted after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced the re-election of Uhuru Kenyatta, sparking unrest especially in opposition-strongholds in western Kenya and Nairobi’s informal settlements.
According to the research, security forces in neighbourhoods such as Mathare and Korogocho entered homes, sought out men, used live ammunition and beat civilians with impunity—even when they were attempting to flee. One witness described hearing a police officer shout kill those criminals before opening fire.
The HRW team conducted 151 interviews with victims, health staff, witnesses and family members, and in many cases reviewed hospital mortuary records.
The findings have drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and international observers. Kenya’s civil society has called for swift and transparent investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other accountability bodies, arguing that without consequences the cycle of violence may repeat.
The Kenyan government has denied many of the allegations of lethal force, describing protesters as criminal elements and rejecting claims of widespread misuse of firearms.
The lack of prosecutions despite repeated allegations has left many families of victims without answers or redress.
Looking ahead, the report urges comprehensive reform of Kenya’s protest-control and crowd-management practices. HRW recommends revision of police standing orders to ensure compliance with international human-rights standards, full cooperation with oversight bodies, and transparent investigations of officers implicated in unlawful killings or beatings.
With Kenya moving toward future electoral cycles, implementing these reforms will be critical. Failure to do so risks undermining public confidence in the integrity of both the electoral process and the security services for years to come.