By Aoma Keziah,
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has strongly criticized the violent crackdown on demonstrators during Tuesday’s protests, accusing the police of collusion with criminal gangs and calling for immediate investigations into the use of excessive force.
Speaking at a press briefing at the LSK headquarters in Nairobi, LSK President Faith Odhiambo said the society had gathered credible evidence showing coordination between police officers and armed groups posing as vigilantes. The so-called vigilantes, she claimed, were dropped off in the central business district by police vehicles before launching attacks on peaceful demonstrators and bystanders.
Odhiambo described the scenes as “lawless and premeditated,” noting that victims were not just protesters, but also lawyers and ordinary citizens going about their business.
Among the incidents cited was the assault of Advocate Ken Ochieng, who was attacked along Koinange Street. Ochieng said he had just left his office to meet a client when a group of men wielding crude weapons surrounded him. He claims they had arrived moments earlier in a police vehicle, accompanied by boda bodas carrying armed passengers.
The protests were sparked by public outrage over the death of Albert Ojwang, who reportedly died in police custody. Tensions escalated in Nairobi when an unarmed hawker was shot at close range by a uniformed officer. The incident, which was caught on video and widely circulated, has drawn sharp condemnation from rights groups and sparked renewed calls for police accountability.
The victim was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital and is said to be in critical condition. LSK is demanding transparency from the hospital, urging health facilities to improve public reporting mechanisms while still respecting patient privacy.
“The right to life cannot be subject to whim or impunity. This incident represents the very reason people are protesting, and the police’s violent response only deepens the crisis,” Odhiambo stated.
In their statement, the LSK accused the National Police Service of failing to restrain its officers and instead enabling acts of violence. They also pointed to disturbing footage of police looting alongside the same gangs that assaulted civilians.
Seventeen people were reportedly injured during Monday’s unrest across the country. In Mombasa, four activists were arrested and charged with unlawful assembly.
We condemn the arrest and especially the treatment of Ms. Batulie Swale, one of the detainees, who was assaulted before being bundled into a police vehicle,” she added.
The society has since secured bail for the Mombasa group and pledged legal support as their case proceeds.
Among the key demands laid out in their statement were a full inquiry by the National Security Council into all reports of excessive force and extrajudicial killings, prosecution of all implicated officers, and publication of a comprehensive list of all victims. They also urged the Director of Public Prosecutions to prioritize such cases and avoid the delays that have historically undermined justice.
“The people of Kenya cannot be expected to trust a police service that views its own citizens as enemies,” the LSK President stated.
They also offered to support investigations into police conduct and emphasized that constitutional protections must remain the guiding principle in public policing.
With pressure mounting on authorities to respond, the coming days may prove critical in determining whether Kenya’s security agencies can restore public trust or whether, as the LSK warned, the damage has already begun to take root.
Mt Kenya Times 
Elizabeth Angira