Dr Ruto’s decision to disband SSP Squad a move in right direction
The Mt Kenya Times 
President William Ruto
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- Allow me to say this. Apart from recalling the officers, the previous administrations would do very little in terms of countering claims portraying the officers as ‘members of the killer squads’.
- This, perhaps, would help to clear the way for human rights groups to allege the officers had been redeployed to serve in the same capacity to other squads that had been renamed.
- This now brings me to how the new administration of President William Ruto is handling these critical matters of security. During the campaigns, he had promised to undertake radical reforms and streamline the operations of the National Police Service [NPS]?
I have lived long enough to observe how the three successive governments of independent Kenya had handled matters of national security. I want to focus on how each would respond to the numerous complaints lodged against excesses of the police force.
The human right groups would lead the onslaught accusing the force of carrying out extra-judicial killings. This is after the families of those whose loved ones had either disappeared or their bodies found dumped in rivers and forests brought these matters to their attention.
The search for truth and justice would start in earnest. In most cases, the investigations would bear any fruits because according to these groups they would be conducted by members of same force accused of allegedly killing these people.
The media reports would later give a picture casting the deceased persons as dangerous criminals. While denying claims associating them with these killings, the Police would assure Kenyans that they were handling these matters with seriousness they deserved.
We want to know how they met their deaths and eventually bring the culprits to book. These assurances would make public to start changing the mind. May be, these were cases of a deal gone sour or a love-triangle.
The human rights groups would, however, maintain their hard line stances. The bodies of some of these people would be found after being abducted in broad daylight and eyewitnesses would allege this was done by experienced people. We, therefore, demand thorough investigations to be conducted and, in some instances, call for the assistance of foreign detectives. They would demand that the special police squads be disbanded forthwith.
The provisions of constitution are clear. No one is allowed to take away the life of another. For the police, they are supposed to arrest the criminals and prefer charges against them in a court of law.
The Flying Squad and Rhino Squad were among those previously listed as deadly police squads. In response to what would be seen as mounting pressure, the top security officials would publicly make a pronouncement they have disbanded these squads.
We have ordered the officers to return to their respective stations for re-deployment. In the same breath, the government would dismiss claims that the officers from Directorate of Criminal Investigations [DCI] were involved in extra-judicial killings and behind forced disappearances.
Allow me to say this. Apart from recalling the officers, the previous administrations would do very little in terms of countering claims portraying the officers as ‘members of the killer squads’.
This, perhaps, would help to clear the way for human rights groups to allege the officers had been redeployed to serve in the same capacity to other squads that had been renamed.
This now brings me to how the new administration of President William Ruto is handling these critical matters of security. During the campaigns, he had promised to undertake radical reforms and streamline the operations of the National Police Service [NPS]?
He has so far made good progress. First, in keeping with spirit of the new constitution he allowed and never interfered with recruitment of new DCI boss. The National Police Service Commission [NPSC] which had shortlisted 10 candidates conducted the interviews and finally settled on Mr Mohamed Amin who scored the highest marks.
The three names were submitted to the President who consequently invoked legal powers conferred to appoint him.
A day after, the media reports indicated that the President met a team of top sleuths from DCI led by Amin. He was briefed that a squad named Special Service Squad [SSP] had been created and it was being associated with cases of extra-judicial killings witnessed in recent past.
The President immediately ordered for disbandment of this squad. He later revealed this in Kericho where he attended a church service. This was a move in the right direction.
Having served the previous administrations, we know our president had learnt big reasons. He is privy to kind of reforms that need to be introduced. He sounds ready to walk the talk.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political commentator based in Nairobi
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