Lobby groups pile pressure on govt over police killings
A cell at the Syokimau AP camp where lawyer Willie Kimani, his client and the taxi driver were held on June 23, 2016. Their bodies were found dumped in a river on July 1, 2016. PHOTO | ZADOCK ANGIRA |
What you need to know:
- They want partners such as Sweden, the UK and USA to also support the push for the prosecution of the alleged killers.
- Three police officers linked to the murder have been arrested and will be arraigned in court on Monday.
More than 30 lobby groups want international partners providing financial support to Kenya’s security agencies to push the government to ensure proper investigations into the killing of a lawyer and two men.
They want partners such as Sweden, the UK and USA to also support the push for the prosecution of the alleged killers.
“Supporting Kenyan security agencies without insisting on accountability for human rights violations makes donor countries complicit in those violations,” read a communication signed by the 34 Kenyan and international human rights organizations.
The human rights organisations say they have evidence indicating the three men were briefly held at Syokimau Administration Police camp soon after they were abducted.
The men’s whereabouts after that remained unknown until their bodies were recovered seven days later.
“The killing of the three, coming before numerous similar allegations in other parts of the country have been adequately investigated is a matter of serious concern on the willingness of the Kenyan authorities to stem cases of police killings,” said Henry Maina, regional director at Article 19, East Africa.
He added: “President (Uhuru) Kenyatta must take decisive steps to assure Kenyans and the international community that the government is serious about addressing police killings.”
“These extrajudicial killings are a chilling reminder that the hard-won right to seek justice for human rights violations is under renewed attack,” said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.
The lobby groups include Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Kenya Human Rights Commission, National Coalition on Human Rights Defenders, Independent Medico Legal Unit, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Article 19 Eastern Africa, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and Defend Defenders.
The lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda (motorcycle taxi rider) and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were abducted and their bodies recovered from Ol-Donyo Sabuk River in Machakos County on June 30.
The three were last seen as they left Mavoko Law Courts in Machakos County on June 23, 2016, where they had attended a hearing of a traffic case.
The human rights groups and lawyers will on Monday hold demonstrations in Nairobi and other parts of the country to protest the killings.
Three police officers linked to the murder have been arrested and will be arraigned in court on Monday.
