Kenya Minute.
Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Tuesday, 11 August 2026
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Kenyan press · Organization

Independent Policing Oversight Authority

Police oversight body investigating civilian deaths and misconduct in Kenya, called to probe incident at Gikomba Market and boda boda rider death in custody.

2026-04-242026-08-11

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. July 2026
  2. Capital News

    Duncan Ojwang Oburu as Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

    Ruto appoints Charles Owino Government Spokesperson in Executive reshuffle
  3. Citizen Digital

    The footage was presented before the Kibera High Court by Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) forensic investigator Joshua Mutua, who testified that the recovered CCTV recordings captured Ojwang arriving at the station at about 9.23pm on June 7, 2025.

    CCTV footage shows Albert Ojwang alive moments before being locked in police cells
  4. The Standard

    Duncan Ojwang Oburu, who has been picked to serve as the Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

    Charles Owino appointed as Government Spokesperson
  5. Capital News

    According to his testimony, the station’s records officer later informed him that his contact details had been shared with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

    Protected witness tells court OCS ordered CCTV footage formatted after Albert Ojwang’s death
  6. Citizen Digital

    PHOTO | PCS Audio By Vocalize The High Court has temporarily suspended the implementation of an Executive Order that sought to place the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) under the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.

    Court suspends President Ruto's Order placing IPOA under Interior Ministry
  7. Citizen Digital

    Among other issues, the working group has demanded immediate accountability from the Inspector General of Police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.

    Media stakeholders condemn shrinking media space in East Africa
  8. The Standard

    The High Court has temporarily suspended the implementation of president William Ruto's Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 that placed the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) under the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, pending the hearing and determination

    High court suspends President Ruto's executive order placing IPOA under Interior Ministry
  9. The Standard

    ups specifically condemned alleged harassment targeting The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), its Executive Director Diana Gichengo, TISA staff and members of the Okoa Uchumi Campaign.In a joint statement, the coalition urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority

    Rights defenders demand probe into alleged State attacks
  10. The Standard

    The presence of Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa and Independent Policing Oversight Authority vice chairperson Ann Wanjiku Mwangi at the meeting added weight to the race.Wamalwa has strong working relationships with all the ethnic communities in th

    Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang faces a tough contest from new entrants
  11. The Standard

    They were instructed to submit documentation to both the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.According to Stella, those institutions now tell victims that their role was limited to compiling reports and forwarding them to Pro

    Prof Mutua should face MPs for grilling on victims payouts
Politics

Civil society warns of political gangs threat one year before 2027 election

The News

Civil society organisations have raised alarm over the emergence of political gangs in Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election, citing recent violence as a sign of organised efforts to mobilise political gangs during the election period. The International Commission of Jurists-Kenya convened stakeholders to address the issue, with the ICJ Chairperson warning that observed patterns bear similarities to challenges from previous election periods.

18 hours ago · Citizen Digital

Yesterday

  1. Civil society warns of political gangs threat one year before 2027 election

    Civil society organisations have raised alarm over the emergence of political gangs in Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election, citing recent violence as a sign of organised efforts to mobilise political gangs during the election period. The International Commission of Jurists-Kenya convened stakeholders to address the issue, with the ICJ Chairperson warning that observed patterns bear similarities to challenges from previous election periods.

    18 hours ago · Citizen Digital

  2. IPOA urges preventive policing to curb 2027 election violence

    The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has called for a shift from reactive to preventive policing ahead of the 2027 General Election, urging security agencies to strengthen intelligence-led policing, identify conflict hotspots early, and deepen community engagement to prevent political violence.

    19 hours ago · Capital News

Sunday 9 August

  1. KNH clarifies bullet from Pipeline shooting victim is with detectives

    Kenyatta National Hospital has clarified that a bullet recovered during treatment of a shooting victim in Pipeline, Nairobi was retained and preserved as part of medical and evidentiary records. The bullet passed through one victim and lodged in a 16-year-old's leg, following an incident on August 3 in which another victim died after four days of treatment.

    9 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. Police officers linked to Dr. Mutiso killing must face justice

    A Standard editorial argues that serving police officers allegedly involved in Dr Victoria Mutiso's killing must be exposed and prosecuted quickly, warning that police-facilitated murders undermine the state's integrity and erode public trust in law enforcement.

    9 August 2026 · The Standard

  3. KNH clarifies bullet from 16-year-old shooting victim preserved

    Kenyatta National Hospital says a bullet recovered from a 16-year-old injured in a Pipeline shooting on August 3 was preserved as medical and evidentiary records and handed to detectives. The clarification follows public concern after the projectile's whereabouts became unclear; a woman struck first by the same bullet died at KNH four days after admission.

    9 August 2026 · The Standard

Saturday 8 August

  1. Woman dies after stray bullet at Gikomba market injures teenager

    Moreen Nduku, 44, was fatally shot by a police officer at Gikomba market on August 3; the bullet passed through her body and struck 16-year-old Abdala Lihan in the leg. The family alleges the bullet removed from the teenager has disappeared, and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority remains silent.

    8 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. Woman dies from police shooting at Gikomba Market

    A 44-year-old woman, Maureen Nduku Nzwile, died at Kenyatta National Hospital after being shot during a police operation at Gikomba Market on Monday while officers responded to reports of phone snatchers. A 16-year-old was also injured in the incident, and the family has lodged a complaint with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority citing alleged irregularities including the disappearance of the bullet.

    8 August 2026 · The Standard

Friday 7 August

  1. Compensation panel approves Sh25.75m for 49 police officers

    A reparations panel has approved compensation for 49 police officers for human rights violations sustained during protests between June 17 and July 7, 2025, awarding them Sh25.75 million. The payments follow IPOA's recording of 65 deaths and 342 civilian injuries during the same period.

    7 August 2026 · The Standard

Thursday 6 August

  1. Strategist criticises IPOA silence on boda boda rider death

    Communication strategist Odhiambo Otieno has criticised the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for remaining silent following the death of 19-year-old boda boda rider Eric Otieno shortly after his release from Muthaiga Police Station. He warned that IPOA's silence on the matter encourages impunity within the police service and questioned why CCTV footage from the station had not been made public.

    6 August 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 5 August

  1. Boda boda rider dies after arrest at Muthaiga Police Station

    Eric Otieno, a boda boda operator, died after being arrested and detained at Muthaiga Police Station; an autopsy found he died from multiple abdominal injuries consistent with blunt force trauma. His family is demanding the arrest of officers allegedly involved and has called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to investigate what they describe as police brutality.

    5 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. Rights groups demand probe into death in police custody

    Rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the death of Eric Otieno, a boda boda rider who died shortly after his release from Muthaiga Police Station. A postmortem found he died from massive internal haemorrhage caused by injuries to his organs.

    5 August 2026 · The Standard

  3. IPOA takes over investigation into Mathare boda boda rider's death in police custody

    Eric Otieno, a Mathare boda boda rider, died at Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital after allegedly sustaining severe injuries while in police custody at Muthaiga Police Station. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has now assumed full responsibility for investigating the circumstances of his death, with the National Police Service pledging full cooperation.

    5 August 2026 · The Standard

Sunday 2 August

  1. Kianjokoma brothers' family renews justice plea as murder trial drags

    Five years after the deaths of Benson Njiru Ndwiga and Emmanuel Mutura Ndwiga—known as the Kianjokoma brothers—their family has renewed calls for justice in the High Court trial of six police officers accused of killing them, citing emotional and financial strain and noting that only nine of 25 prosecution witnesses have testified since the trial began in 2022. The brothers died on August 1, 2021, after being arrested by police enforcing a COVID-19 curfew in Embu County.

    2 August 2026 · Capital News

Saturday 1 August

  1. Nakuru families await delayed Ksh.3 million compensation for protest deaths

    Families in Nakuru who lost loved ones during the June 2024 Gen Z protests say they have not yet received Ksh.3 million compensation promised by the government through the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations, despite submitting all required documentation.

    1 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. Family questions police conduct in Mlolongo businessman abduction case

    Five days after businessman Jimmy Mwanzia Mutava disappeared, his family says they remain in the dark about his whereabouts as fresh CCTV footage raises questions about events leading to his alleged abduction, with a senior Mlolongo Police Station officer emerging as a person of interest.

    1 August 2026 · Citizen Digital

Friday 31 July

  1. Ex-IPOA boss claims Ruto threatened him over police watchdog independence

    Macharia Njeru, the inaugural Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, alleged that William Ruto made direct threats to him during Ruto's time as Deputy President, warning of political fallout if IPOA did not comply with executive demands. Njeru's allegations add to recent accusations by former National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndung'u that President Ruto has systematically interfered with public institutions.

    31 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. Independent commissions questioned over perceived political influence

    An opinion piece examines whether Kenya's independent commissions operate genuinely independently or under presidency influence, citing the NCIC's response to Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale's remarks as a case that raised public concerns about institutional independence and consistency.

    31 July 2026 · The Standard

Thursday 30 July

  1. Court extends Rex Masai inquest, allows more witness testimony

    A Nairobi court has allowed the National Police Service to call six additional witnesses and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to present two more witnesses in the inquest into Rex Masai's death during anti-government protests, with expected testimony from representatives of institutions including IC3, Absa Bank, Makau Casino, Bliss Hospital and International Life House.

    30 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. Ruto's constitutional commission nominees referred for parliamentary vetting

    President William Ruto's four nominees for key constitutional commissions—Antonina Lentoijoni and Wilson Sossion to the Teachers Service Commission, Flora Mutua to the Public Service Commission, and Dr. Duncan Ojwang Oburu to chair the Independent Policing Oversight Authority—have been referred by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula to departmental committees for vetting under the Constitution and Public Appointments Act.

    30 July 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 29 July

  1. NCIC criticized for warnings over enforcement in hate-speech cases

    The National Cohesion and Integration Commission has opened investigations into former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, and eight other public figures over alleged hate speech and ethnic incitement. Questions persist about whether the NCIC has become an effective watchdog or an institution better known for issuing warnings than pursuing enforcement action.

    29 July 2026 · The Standard

Monday 27 July

  1. Petition challenges exclusion of 35 disappearance victims from compensation

    Activists have filed a High Court petition challenging the exclusion of victims of enforced disappearance from the government's compensation programme for human rights violations victims. The High Court certified the petition as urgent, with a hearing scheduled before Justice Gregory Mutai.

    27 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Saturday 25 July

  1. New assembly bill proposes protest protections but needs strengthening

    Kenya's draft Freedom of Assembly Bill, collaboratively developed by the KNCHR, Attorney General, and other stakeholders, offers an opportunity to address the country's cycle of protest-related violence, in which at least 1,800 people have been killed or injured since 2017. The opinion piece discusses what the bill gets right, where it diverges from previous attempts, and what must be strengthened.

    25 July 2026 · The Standard

Thursday 23 July

  1. Murkomen says police now rely on science, not Gachagua's gossip

    Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of spreading falsehoods, saying Kenya has shifted from gossip-based investigations to technology-driven, science-based policing. He made the remarks while launching a Multi-Biometric Identification System at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

    23 July 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 22 July

  1. Albert Ojwang murder trial adjourned until December 2026

    The Kibera High Court has adjourned the murder trial of six people charged in Albert Ojwang's death in police custody until December 14, 2026, after prosecutors presented CCTV footage from Mbagathi Hospital showing police officers transporting Ojwang from Central Police Station on June 9, 2025, and later departing with his body.

    22 July 2026 · Capital News

  2. Duncan Ojwang nominated as IPOA chairperson by President Ruto

    President William Ruto has nominated legal scholar Dr. Duncan Ojwang Oburu to serve as Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Kenya's police oversight body responsible for investigating complaints of police misconduct and promoting accountability.

    22 July 2026 · Capital News

  3. IPOA presents CCTV of teacher's death at Central Police Station

    The Independent Policing Oversight Authority presented CCTV footage showing teacher Albert Ojwang arriving alive at Nairobi's Central Police Station and later being removed from cells unresponsive, according to IPOA's Head of Forensics Joshua Mutua.

    22 July 2026 · The Standard

  4. Police reforms group calls DCI to unmask Ol-Kalou goons

    The Police Reforms Working Group Kenya is calling on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to identify and arrest goons who were captured intimidating voters during the Ol-Kalou by-election in Nyandarua County. The group alleges that armed, masked militia and plainclothes officers invaded polling centres, fired ammunition, deployed tear gas, and assaulted journalists and human rights observers.

    22 July 2026 · The Standard

Tuesday 21 July

  1. CCTV analysis shows man entered police station alive, left unresponsive

    Forensic analysis of CCTV footage from Central Police Station presented at a murder trial shows the deceased entered the station alive and responsive but was later removed while unresponsive, according to testimony from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority Head of Forensics.

    21 July 2026 · Capital News

  2. Ruto nominates KNCHR chair to lead police oversight authority

    President William Ruto has nominated Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Dr. Duncan Ojwang Oburu to chair the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, succeeding former chair Justice Ahmed Issack Hassan. The nominations, announced through Notification of Presidential Action No. XI of 2026, also include appointments to the Teachers Service Commission, Public Service Commission, and Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee, pending parliamentary approval.

    21 July 2026 · Capital News

  3. Former police spokesman Charles Owino appointed government spokesperson

    Charles Owino, a former police spokesman, has been appointed Government Spokesperson as part of President Ruto's presidential nominations and redeployments within the Executive. Former Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura was reassigned to head the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Disability Rights.

    21 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Independent Policing Oversight Authority — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute