Police guilty of human rights abuse: NGOs

Human rights organisations have once again blamed the police of slowing down the promotion of human rights in Kenya.

Despite the organisations commending the general improvement of human rights situation in the country, they singled out extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances as an overarching problem.

During the celebration of International Human Rights Day that coincided with the 70th year since the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights yesterday, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), Amnesty International-Kenya, Council of Governors, National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders and other organisations noted that Kenya had made strides in the fulfillment of human rights.

The civil societies said they were concerned by the continuing reports of extra-judicial Killings, especially of Kenyan youth in the informal settlements or those suspected to be terrorists.

George Morara, the KNCHR vice chair, said the infamous Nyayo House torture chambers had moved to informal settlements, where the law of the jungle was applied and youths regularly killed by police without following legal processes.

Governor Josphat Nanok, the Council of Governors chair, said the road ahead required more effort in securing human rights, whether political, economic or social.