Charles Owino, a former police spokesperson, has warned that police chiefs should not be held accountable for the actions of their subordinates.
On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Owino told a local TV station that a demand of this nature could lead to anarchy in the country, as police might adopt a more relaxed approach to handling protests.
Owino emphasized the importance of distinguishing between command responsibility and individual responsibility, requiring careful consideration without unfairly burdening police leaders.
Cause Havoc
Owino maintained that an officer’s personal responsibility should consistently take priority.
“If we continually pressure police commanders into accepting responsibility for their subordinates in the field, then the police will often retreat in many instances due to concern over using firearms, allowing unscrupulous individuals to take control and wreak havoc, or even loot stores.”
Owino, a prominent advocate for reforms in the police sector, stressed that the police have no authority whatsoever to carry out an execution while on duty.
No officer can issue an order to fire and result in a person’s death. Even when a person is in possession of a gun, you do not simply shoot him; instead, as an officer, you attempt to disarm and neutralize him, without the intention of taking his life. Only the courts have the authority to make a verdict that results in death. He also noted that human rights are deeply sacred.
His comments follow months after he warned Kenyans to accept the fact that officers are using firearms on them as a normal part of their country’s policing procedures.
Responsible policing
Owino specifically addressed individuals and certain right-wing groups on a local TV station on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, accusing them of deceiving the Kenyan youth that the police are barred from using firearms against them.
“Do not mislead the public into believing that police will refrain from using firearms against you.” The police must be held accountable, and officers who break the law should face the consequences, but it would be dishonest to tell young people that the police will never use guns on them. He urged the community and society to confront the reality head-on.
