Kenya’s Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome, resigned on Friday following intense criticism of officers’ conduct during the anti-government protests last month in which at least 39 people were killed.
President William Ruto’s office announced Koome’s resignation the day after dissolving nearly his entire cabinet, bowing to the demands of protesters.
The Presidency has announced Koome’s deputy, Douglas Kanja as the acting police chief.
A statement stated that Ruto has “accepted the resignation” of Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, who has served in the role since November 2022.
Some of the young Gen-Z Kenyans behind the demonstrations had earlier called for Koome’s exit, with police accused of using excessive force during the protests which has been noted as the most serious crisis of Ruto’s near two-year presidency.
The president has taken a series of measures to placate the demonstrators, including abandoning the finance bill that contained the deeply unpopular tax increases.
On Thursday, the Kenyan leader dismissed the Attorney-General and all cabinet ministers, except Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
