Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has criticized a recent decision by the High Court prohibiting police from using water cannons, tear gas, and bullets against protesters.
Owino says doing so leaves the law enforcers at a compromised position especially when dealing with elements who take advantage of peaceful protests to carry out their criminal activities.
“You go to court and you tell policemen, don’t use teargas, and don’t use your firearm. What happens is there will be no fear amongst the demonstrators, robbers and the bad people. The policemen will be overrun and properties will be destroyed,”
Charles Owino, Former Police Spokesperson
According to the former police spokesman, the instruments prohibited by the court are crucial if the police must execute their mandate and ensure life and property are secured at all costs.
“You use teargas and baton to disperse. But when property is being destroyed what do you do? Those are the times police use firearms. I hear people say use rubber bullets, but will they stop?” posed Owino during an interview on Citizen TV Thursday morning
Owino reiterates that “We must face the reality. We must give police power to bite,” for them to manage situations such as those witnessed this week where individuals went on a looting spree while others staged anti-tax protests.
“You have seen members of the public saying police are not protecting us. But what happens? Say you have five or ten police officers against 1000 members of the public, how do you react, how do you manage your firearm, teargas, etc?,” queried the Ex-Cop who now serves as the chairman of the board at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC)
