Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has strongly criticized the continued use of face masks by police officers during public demonstrations, stating that the practice is unconstitutional and undermines transparency.
In a statement released on Saturday, June 14, Owino expressed concern that despite a recent court ruling, some law enforcement officers continue to obscure their identities while on duty during protests. He called on the Inspector General of Police to act swiftly to ensure full compliance with the law.
“As a legislator deeply committed to constitutionalism and the rule of law, I am gravely concerned by the continued practice of police officers wearing face masks while on official duty during public demonstrations,” Owino said in a Facebook post.
The MP cited a landmark ruling delivered on April 30, 2025, by Justice Bahati Mwamuye, in which the High Court declared it illegal for police officers to conceal their identities during protests. The judgment emphasized that officers must wear official uniforms and remain easily identifiable to the public when deployed to manage assemblies, demonstrations, or picketing.
Justice Mwamuye ruled that obscuring police officers’ identities violates the public’s right to accountability and transparency in law enforcement. “A declaration is hereby issued that any law enforcement officer deployed to maintain law and order during an assembly, demonstration, or picketing must be in uniform and shall not, in any way, conceal their identity,” the court stated.
Owino reiterated that visible identification is key to holding state agents accountable and building public trust in the police service. He urged the Inspector General to issue a directive mandating adherence to the court’s order.
“I call upon the Inspector General of Police to issue an immediate directive enforcing full compliance with the court ruling. No officer should engage the public in anonymity, especially while exercising lawful authority,” Owino said.
The lawmaker’s remarks come amid growing public scrutiny of police conduct during recent protests, with calls for reforms to enhance accountability in security operations.
