Rights groups condemn deployment of goons to disrupt peaceful demo in Nairobi
They say that apart from serious injuries to individuals, there was uncalculated damage to private businesses and public property across the capital
The Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) has condemned the deliberate infiltration of peaceful protests to demand the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat over the death of teacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang in police custody by hundreds of violent agitators who attacked protesters and caused mayhem in Nairobi.
In a statement, PRWG, which brings together various human rights groups, said 25 people were hospitalised, five with gunshot wounds by 9 pm last night, in addition to an unarmed face masks hawker who was shot at close range by a police officer near Imenti House.
Apart from serious injuries to individuals, there was uncalculated damage to private businesses and public property across the capital, it added.
“Our monitoring and preliminary analysis confirms widespread fears that the National Police Service failed to stop hundreds of masked agitators who were mobilised, transported and deployed to patrol several streets and attack Government critics with tyre whips, large wooden batons and knives,” the statement said.
“More worryingly, protest observation in the streets and mass media analysis reveal that the police at times intentionally accompanied, supported and directed their operations for more than six hours of mayhem yesterday. We monitored police officers in consultations with goons at Moi Avenue, Railways Club and Kenyatta Avenue. Several of the groups were filmed publicly expressing their appreciation for the Nairobi Governor for the support they had received, and elsewhere, elected Members of the County Assembly praised them for their unlawful actions.”
They said that despite Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga’s statement taking note of the goons and that investigations had commenced, post-violence visits to Central Police Station and Kamukunji Police Station revealed that no protest-related arrests had been carried out by 8 pm last night.
“The National Police Service Inspector General must clearly address police conduct as witnessed yesterday in the streets of Nairobi while clearly addressing police conduct including clear consensus between police and violent agitators, the names, badge numbers and ranks of officers who are captured using excessive force against protesters, including lethal force, the commanding officers and the nature of instructions issued to the Police yesterday and the status of investigations as alleged in their statement authorisation or with the acquiescence of police officers and commanders,” they added.
The groups called on Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanya to swiftly investigate and arrest officers and violent agitators who blatantly violated the Constitution by using excessive force against protesters and the public. We call on the office of the IG to submit the deployment schedule, weapons, ballistics and other forensic evidence used in yesterday’s operation to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority. The officer involved in the shooting and killing of businessman Boniface Kariuki must be charged and prosecuted in a court of law and subjected to a fair trial.
At the same time, the organisations called on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Members of the County Assembly and other politicians to refrain from interfering in operational policing decisions and from otherwise exerting political pressure on the policing of demonstrations through speech or other actions.
“We also call on them to publicly disassociate themselves from the violence and call for the arrest and prosecution of those who wreaked violence and mayhem in Nairobi’s Central Business District,” the statement said.
The organisations also called on Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to act immediately to address police misconduct during public protests and assemblies.
“Urgent action is required to restore accountability. Kenya faces a deepening crisis of public and investor confidence in law enforcement and the rule of law. Continued violence threatens Kenya’s lives, democratic stability and economic resilience.”
The groups commended medical personnel, legal advocates, journalists, protest observers, and members of the public who upheld non-violence, cared for the injured, documented abuses, and called for an end to the anarchic chaos witnessed yesterday.
The organisations include the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), Kariobangi Paralegal Network, Katiba Institute, Defenders Coalition, Social Justice Centres Working Group (SJCW), Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya), International Justice Mission (IJM-K), HAKI Africa, Amnesty International Kenya, Women Empowerment Link and Social Welfare Development Programme (SOWED).
Others are Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA- Kenya), International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ – Kenya), Transparency International Kenya, Shield For justice, Wangu Kanja Foundation, Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO), Kenyans for Peace, Truth and Justice (KPTJ) and Peace Brigades International Kenya (PBI Kenya).
