Aaron Cheruiyot questions Japhet Koome’s silence amid violent protests: “I’m deeply troubled”
- Senator Aaron Cheruiyot of Kericho questioned the ability of Inspector General Japhet Koome by questioning his quiet amid the recent protests.
- Cheruiyot made a negative comparison between Koome and former commissioner Mohamed Hussein Ali, citing Koome’s communication during the 2007–2008 unrest.
- He voiced concern about the Inspector General’s lack of public outreach in the wake of recent turmoil and bloodshed.
- Cheruiyot demanded explicit rules for holding nonviolent demonstrations, pointing out that disruptive goons frequently infiltrate such events.
Nairobi: Senator Aaron Cheruiyot of Kericho has questioned Inspector General Japhet Koome’s conspicuous lack of comment throughout the demonstrations.
On Wednesday, July 3, before the Senate Plenary, the legislator questioned Koome’s qualifications for leading the agency and questioned his competency.
Cheruiyot compared Koome to Major-General Mohamed Hussein Ali, the previous Commissioner of Police, during the unrest that followed the election in 2007–2008.
He said he was uneasy by Koome’s reticence and cited Hussein’s continuous updating of the country on security issues.
“In a public forum I was asking where the IG is. That was in relation to the killings in Kerio Valley. It’s been two weeks of protests, Kenyans have lost their lives, they’ve been beaten, there have been challenges, the police have faced also very difficult and hostile gangs on the street, I am yet to hear the voice of the Inspector General.
That profoundly disturbs me; that can’t be true. I’m not sure what the IG believes or what the difficulty is, but how can we handle such a situation at this specific moment? I’m wondering if this individual is truly the best fit for this position in the back of my mind,” he remarked.
How should protests be conducted
The majority leader in the Senate went on to say that guidelines about what constituted a nonviolent protest were long overdue.
He made the observation that goons typically overrun protest organizers, infiltrating the processions and wreaking havoc.
“We’ve discussed whether or not the protests were peaceful. Why is it that this nonviolent protest activity is still causing problems for our nation? What exactly are we meant to do? Can’t we lead the way and show them the way forward so they know what to do if they want to peacefully demonstrate as is required of them? “, he said.
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Aaron Cheruiyot questions Japhet Koome’s silence amid violent protests: “I’m deeply troubled”