Revealed: 49 Kenyans killed by police this year

A police officer shoots at protestors near Thika Road Mall during the commemoration of Saba Saba Day. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

A total of 49 people have been shot dead by police this year, according to the latest data from human rights defenders in the country.

According to the Social Justice Centre Working Group, of the number, 24 were shot dead in May by trigger-happy police officers during demonstrations against the high fuel prices.

This came as the Centre expressed its fears that more lives could be lost next week when the country would be marking the second anniversary of the Gen-Z demonstration.

The Centre’s national convener, Happy Oral, noted that cases of police brutality and forced disappearance were on the rise despite the promise by the President that this would end.

“Between January and May this year, a total of 49 people were shot dead by police in various parts of the country and we fear more deaths between June and July,” he said.

Despite the threats and intimidation, Oral said that human rights defenders would continue to speak up about social injustice and police brutality.

He was addressing the press after opening the Naivasha Social Justice Centre, which will be used to document and assist victims of social injustice.

“Naivasha leads in cases of police killings and brutality and this centre will come in handy in supporting victims of social injustice whose numbers are on the rise,” he said.

On his part, Simon Wakaba, a youth leader from Naivasha, called on security agents to stop profiling youths ahead of the second anniversary of the Gen-Z demonstration.

He said that youths would be in the street peacefully and called on police to offer them security, as peaceful picketing was recognised by the constitution.

“We are deeply perturbed by the ongoing compensation of victims of police brutality, yet the perpetrators have never been brought to book,” he said.

This was echoed by Shiku Kihika from the Tribe-less Youth group in Nakuru, who called on the President and police to ensure that no one was killed.

“We shall hold accountable all those responsible for killings and forced disappearances, and we are calling on the President to keep his word and stop this senseless bloodshed,” she said.

Others who spoke were Peter Litondo from International Justice Mission (IJM), who called for the operationalisation of the Victim Protection Act.

“We want forced disappearance criminalised and we are calling on our legislators to make sure that the Victims’ Protection Act is prioritised,” he said.