The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on Saturday, April 27 responded after a video of its soldiers involved in a scuffle with police officers went viral.
In the video, more than four KDF soldiers, armed to the teeth and in military regalia, are seen roughing up police officers.
At one point, the soldiers physically assault one of the police officers by slapping and punching him on the face, while a concerned citizen is heard questioning, “what is wrong with them?”
The KDF now says that to establish the circumstances leading to the incident, Military Police and requisite investigation agencies have been tasked to handle the matter.
“The incident is highly regrettable. As KDF personnel, we are beholden to the core value of professionalism,” the KDF says in a statement.
This is not the first time, in recent says, that KDF soldiers have clashed with police.
In April 16, police at Lodwar Police Station arrested KDF soldiers who allegedly slapped and disarmed their colleague at a roadblock for delaying to remove spikes on the road.
A police report said the KDF officers were riding in a water bowser at the time of the incident around 11am.
“It happened that officers delayed to remove the erected spikes at the said road block and the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) water bowser was approaching,” the report says.
The driver of the said water bowser is said to have alighted and slapped the officer on his right cheek. Another officer alighted using the passenger door and grabbed his AK47 rifle and cocked immediately.
