Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has urged the government to install CCTV cameras in all police stations, cells, and reporting desks across the country in a bid to curb rising cases of human rights violations in custody.
In a motion presented before the Senate, Nyamu emphasized that surveillance infrastructure would not only modernise law enforcement but also promote transparency and accountability. Citing Article 51 of the Constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights for persons in custody, she said many of these rights continue to be routinely violated.
“There has been an increase in reports of human rights violations, abuse, unexplained injuries, and deaths in police custody, as well as security breaches and escapes,” Nyamu stated.
She criticized the slow implementation of recommendations by the Maraga-led task force on police and prison reforms, which had proposed the modernization of police facilities, including CCTV installation. “The absence of surveillance at reporting desks and holding cells undermines transparency, erodes public trust, and delays justice for victims of custodial abuse,” she added.
Nyamu is now calling on the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to install tamper-proof CCTV systems in all police facilities, with real-time monitoring and secure storage of footage to aid in investigations and court proceedings.
She also emphasized the need for adequate funding, technical support, and training for police officers to ensure the effective use and maintenance of the surveillance systems. Additionally, she called for the continued digitization of Occurrence Book (OB) platforms to complement the modernization efforts.
The Senator’s push comes in the wake of public outrage following the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody. A postmortem by government pathologist Bernard Midia revealed that Ojwang died from head injuries, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue trauma findings that contradicted a police report suggesting he inflicted the injuries himself.
“This was consistent with assault,” Midia stated, ruling out the possibility of self-inflicted trauma.
Nyamu believes that implementing her proposed measures will not only deter police misconduct but also enhance internal accountability and strengthen the justice system in Kenya.
