Senators have sounded the alarm over an unsettling surge in unexplained deaths of detainees and inmates across Kenya, urging accountability and transparency from the National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya Prisons Service (KPS).
The lawmakers’ concerns follow the recent death of Sylvester Mwangoji, popularly known as Mwangoji Wameliza, who died shortly after being arrested and held at Weruga Police Post in Wundanyi Sub-County, Taita Taveta County. The incident has reignited debate about the safety and treatment of individuals in state custody.
Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma, who brought the matter to the Senate’s attention, said Mwangoji’s death is not an isolated case but part of a deeply troubling pattern.
“It is deeply troubling that such deaths occur without prompt accountability, thorough investigations, or adequate reporting mechanisms,” said Mr Mwaruma.
In response, the Senate has tasked its Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations with investigating the issue. The committee, chaired by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, is expected to probe all cases of inmate and detainee deaths that may be linked to the actions or negligence of law enforcement officers.
The probe will assess not only the direct causes of these deaths but also the effectiveness of disciplinary, administrative, or legal responses against implicated officers.
It will further examine the procedures in place for handling the bodies of individuals who die in custody, including whether autopsies are conducted transparently and whether families are involved in post-mortem and burial processes.
Senators are demanding a comprehensive report on the existing safeguards to protect the rights and welfare of arrested and detained persons, and whether those mechanisms are adequate. They have also called for an audit of the oversight bodies tasked with investigating custodial deaths.
“We want to know whether the National Police Service and the Kenya Prison Service maintain an updated and publicly accessible register of all arrested persons and inmates who have died while in custody,” said Mr Mwaruma. “If so, they should provide a comprehensive list of these deaths from 2022 to date, including names, dates, locations, causes of death, and the status of investigations or inquests conducted.”
The move comes amid longstanding criticism of conditions in Kenyan police stations and prisons.
Over the years, numerous reports from human rights organisations have documented abuse, mistreatment, and even torture within detention facilities. Some of these practices are allegedly used to extract confessions or enforce discipline, especially among vulnerable or marginalised individuals.
The Senate committee’s findings are expected to guide future legislative or policy reforms aimed at strengthening oversight, protecting detainees’ rights, and ensuring justice for victims and their families.
By Kimani Mwangi