Kenya police chief resigns after criticism over protest crackdown
Al Jazeera
Inspector-General of Police Japhet Koome resigns a day after President William Ruto dismissed almost his entire cabinet.
Kenya’s police chief has resigned after criticism of officers’ conduct during recent antigovernment demonstrations in which dozens of protesters were killed.
The presidency said in a statement on Friday that President William Ruto has “accepted the resignation” of Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, who has served in the role since November 2022.
Deputy Inspector-General Douglas Kanja has been appointed acting police chief with immediate effect, the presidency said.
The announcement came a day after Ruto sacked nearly his entire cabinet, bowing to the demands of protesters.
Some of the young people behind the demonstrations had called for Koome to go, with police accused of using excessive force during the protests, the most serious crisis of Ruto’s near two-year presidency.
