On Monday, July 1, 2024, Renson Ingonga, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Kenya, issued a significant directive to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
This order called for the immediate commencement of a comprehensive investigation into individuals suspected of involvement in the recent vandalism of both private and public property across the country.
In an official statement, Ingonga provided specific instructions to DCI detectives. He mandated that upon completion of their thorough investigations, the resulting inquiry files should be promptly forwarded to his office for further legal action and potential prosecution.
He highlighted that the decision was primarily motivated by the tragic loss of lives and the extensive destruction and vandalism of property that had occurred, with particular emphasis on the events of June 25, 2024. This date appears to have marked a significant escalation in the unrest. A part of the statement by the ODPP read,
“Any individual found culpable will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Ingonga took a firm stance, issuing a stern warning to all Kenyan citizens.
He specifically addressed those who might be planning to invade and destroy property, including critical government infrastructure such as the parliament building and county offices.
The DPP emphatically urged such individuals to abandon these destructive intentions immediately. This came after police were also prohibited by the High Court from using teargas, water canons and bullets on protestors.
He characterized these activities as acts of hooliganism and promised that they would be met with the full force of the law, indicating a zero-tolerance approach to such behavior.
Warning to Those Protesting Today and in The Future
In his statement, Ingonga also took the opportunity to clarify the legal boundaries of civil rights in Kenya.
He emphasized that while the right to assemble, demonstrate, and picket is protected, it is not an absolute right. These freedoms, he explained, are limited by the need to protect lives and property. The DPP stated that,
“Any person involved in such assembly, demonstration or picketing must be peaceful and unarmed. The right does not extend to propaganda or war.”
He further elaborated on the potential consequences of future violent acts,
“Further, any future acts of violence leading to loss of lives, or destruction of private and public property, more so critical infrastructure including Parliament, Judiciary, National and County Government facilities shall be met with the fullest force of the law.”
This directive from the DPP came in the wake of recent actions by DCI detectives.
Just hours before Ingonga’s statement, the DCI had publicly released images of individuals alleged to have participated in looting during the recent demonstrations.
The DCI detectives provided additional context, explaining that they had initiated investigations into looters who had exploited the chaos of last week’s protests for personal gain.
They assured the public that stringent measures would be taken against those found guilty of such opportunistic crimes. The DCI detectives noted,
“As a criminal investigative agency, it squarely falls within the mandate of the DCI to investigate and bring to book any persons involved in such outright criminality.”
They also revealed that some arrests had already been made, with suspects arraigned in various courts on the day of the statement. However, they warned that many more suspects remained at large, potentially waiting for future opportunities to engage in similar criminal activities. Ingonga said,
“Whereas some have already been arrested and arraigned in various courts today, more are still out there on the streets waiting for other opportune times to strike again.”