The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has urged prompt investigations into the deaths of four people who were shot unjustly by police along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway at the Masimba in Kajiado.
Through a statement, KNCHR Chairperson Roseline Odede called for an investigation into the shootings saying it is unacceptable for uniformed officials to have shot live bullets at protestors with a just cause.
According to the commission, the incident should be thoroughly and impartially probed.
“It is imperative that investigations are fast-tracked to bring to book the culpable officers. There should be an immediate redress, accountability, and compensation of the victims of the killings and their families,” she stated.
On Thursday, June 2, residents demonstrated against the national administration about unresolved human-wildlife conflicts in the area, which had resulted in many deaths; six people were gravely hurt.
Since then, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation into the shooting.
President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered an investigation into the shooting and deployed a senior security team led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to deal with the situation and express condolences to the victims’ families.
After protestors halted the main Nairobi-Mombasa Highway for hours, the elite GSU police unit was called in to disperse the disturbances at Masimba.