Kenyans arrested in police swoop talk of harassment

People arrested during a swoop at Nairobi’s Eastleigh are vetted at Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani in Nairobi on April 9, 2014. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL

What you need to know:

  • Last week, the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya secretary-general Sheikh Mohammed Dor accused the government of mistreating the Somali community in the clampdown
  • Several Kenyans at the weekend claimed they had been harassed and detained by police for days

The police crackdown to flush out terrorists and illegal immigrants has been criticised for violating the rights of innocent Kenyans.

Residents in areas affected by the swoop have claimed the crackdown has trapped both illegal immigrants and law-abiding citizens.

The claims follow protests by some Muslim leaders, who want the swoop stopped.

Last week, the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya secretary-general Sheikh Mohammed Dor accused the government of mistreating the Somali community in the clampdown.

“Islam has and will never support any act of terror because of the wanton destruction of lives and property. But we will not accept our community to be profiled as terrorists,” he said.

DETAINED

Several Kenyans at the weekend claimed they had been harassed and detained by police for days.

However, Inspector-General David Kimaiyo on Sunday denied the claims. “We care for the people in custody and anybody with evidence of violation of human rights should report the matter to the relevant authorities instead of writing alarming statements which can create animosity between the government and certain communities,” he said.

Though Mr Kimaiyo argued those arrested were people with no identification, complainants insisted they had national IDs but were still loaded on lorries to Kasarani

At the weekend, several Kenyans came forth to claim they had been harassed. Below are their accounts as told to the Nation.

Mr Mohamed Haji Mudey: “My name is Mohamed Mudey. I am Kenyan and I live in Eastleigh. I was born in Wajir East, Wajir County. In 2010, I applied for my national Identity card (ID) and got one.

On April 10, I was at home at 11 in the morning when I heard a door knock. When I opened, there were two paramilitary policemen standing outside. They told me they wanted to come in and inspect my house.

They forced their way in before I could agree. One of them asked for my national ID. I gave him after which he put it in his pocket. After that, he told me my ID was fake. He refused to give it back to me.

I followed them down the stairs. They told me to go back to the house. I refused and one of them slapped me. I cried and protested. The other took out his baton and hit me.

Mr Abdulrahman Abdullahi Mohamed: “I am a shoe seller in Eastleigh. I have a family; a wife and two children. I got my national ID in 2004 which was issued in Ijara (Garissa County). I lost this one and applied for its replacement later which I have today (he shows it to us).

The police came to my place early in the morning of April 4 at 7. Then they ordered everyone to board a police truck outside the building. When I protested the arrest, they slapped me. I kept my peace.

We were all taken to Pangani Police Station for four days then to Kasarani Stadium for another day. After inspecting my ID for some time, they let me go. At Kasarani, they gave us rice with beef. Let me say the truth that this food was cooked well and water clean.

Mr Farhan Muhumed Sheikh Idow: “I was born in Wajir in 1988. My father died a while back but my mother is still alive in Habaswein in Wajir. On April 15, I was arrested in Kiambu after I had gone to take lunch to a refugee who had been arrested there over his papers. The friend had his refugee card but the police said he should have been in the camp. I ended up being a suspected illegal immigrant myself.

The police asked to see my ID which I showed them. But I do not understand a lot of Kiswahili so that one became my second problem. They asked why I do not know Kiswahili yet I stay in Nairobi. I told them I came only a year ago. I grew up in the village and I didn’t attend school. They took me to Kasarani where I spent four days.

Ms Fardosa Abdisalan Muhumed: “I was born in Dadaab district, Garissa County in 1987. I was arrested by the police on April 5 near Mustard Supermarket.

From Pangani police the following morning, we were taken to Gigiri and put in an open cell with wire mesh.

We depended on food brought by relatives and friends. But it was little and everyone jostled for it whenever it arrived.

After three days, they asked for our IDs. Then they took us to Kasarani. Some women were expectant and that cold endangered them and their babies too. They released us on Wednesday evening.

Ms Maryan Mohamud Hassan: “I am 38 years old. I was among those Kenyans arrested by police. They ordered everyone in the house out. At that time, my husband was sick and he could not come out. So, I came out with my son who is two. They ordered all of us onto a lorry to Pangani where they took away our IDs.

They separated me from my elder son who was put in another cell with young boys who had been arrested for other crimes. They bullied him. From Pangani, they took us to Gigiri. My son was taken to Kasarani. I stayed there for three days.

Ms Halima Abdi Hussein: “I was born and raised in Garissa. I got my national ID 22 years ago. I had never run into trouble with the police until two weeks ago.

On that morning of April 5, I was preparing my children for Madrassa at around 7.30am. But as I went downstairs, I saw a large group of paramilitary police. They asked where I live and I told them upstairs. They ordered me to stay there and started ordering everybody to get out and sit down. Many of us were women.

The problem was they were breaking into my house upstairs when they had told me to stay down. I protested and told them I will open if they wanted to come in. I had the keys. They came in and checked the house then I went back down. We were a large group of women and children.

Ms Nimo Mohamed Dugou: “I was born in Mandera in 1987 and I got my ID in 2005. My husband is a policeman in Kisumu, attached to the Administration Police division. I had been living in Margat with him before he was moved to Kisumu. I came to Nairobi and I was to follow him later in the year.

My experience on the police swoop is long. The police knocked on our apartment gate on a Saturday morning and ordered all of us to get out. We were then taken to Pangani where the police there took my ID and mobile phone. I could not reach anyone.

At Kasarani, we slept on the cold floor, but ate ugali and beef. There was a leaking sewer in the building and we had to endure the bad smell.

This was my first arrest.