Abstract:
This paper seeks to delve into interrogation of complaint handling mechanism modes by State Security
Agencies in Kenya through the case of Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). While benefiting
from the following objectives; finding out existing complaints against State Security agencies, examining
Independent Police Oversight Authority’s (IPOA) Complaints Handling Mechanism (CHM), and
establishing the Nature of complaints against Security Agencies; the study envisages to contribute to the
unending debate on accountability of Security Agencies and filing of complaints on abuses thereof as a
channel to access to justice. The study is a product of field data in addition to document analysis and
information gathered from relevant written sources. The analyzed findings is presented in the study through
graphs, tables, and content analysis. Complaints filing against Security Agencies is a universally approved
mode of checking excesses by the Security Agencies with civilian oversight establishments such as IPOA
being the focal points of complaints handling. This paper therefore, explored IPOA’s Complaints Handling
Mechanism (CHM) as a gateway to police accountability in Kenya. The study established that complaints
against State Security Agencies in Kenya are broad in nature and to address them, IPOA adopted an Open
Door Policy for complaints handling. Further as a complaints management strategy, IPOA embraced
cooperation with other state agencies as a viable route to actualizing its mandate. In conclusion, the study
established that the CHM had positively impacted on complaints reporting. The study recommends that
IPOA as an institution controlling security sector behavior should focus on the after-processes to complaints
reporting so as to realize its founding mandate.
