Lawyers, lobbies protest increased extrajudicial killings

Public Investments Committee (PIC) Chairman Abdulswamad Nassir at Parliament buildings. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir says he is ready to mobilise legislators to petition for the removal of Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai from office over increased cases of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.  

Abudlswamad said the cases had become too common and accused the police of doing little to stop the vice.

“Today it will be me, tomorrow will be you. We need to join hands to stop this madness before it escalates,” he said yesterday.

The MP said this when he met lawyers, lobby groups and Muslims organizations who were having peaceful march to protest against increased cases of kidnappings and extrajudicial killings.

The lawyers and the lobby group held demonstrations under the “Purple Ribbon Campaign Week”.

The groups presented petitions to Parliament, Attorney General and Police Inspector Hillary Mutyambai. Police provided security throughout the march.

Law Society of Kenya CEO Mercy Wambua who was present during the procession said there was need from the country to have policy and legislation reforms as well as ratify international instruments to end unexplained disappearances.

“Kenya is governed by rule of law not by rule of people. We demand that the government agree to follow the law because it is only through this the country can be safe for everyone,” she said.

At the same time Amnesty international Kenya Executive Director Houghton Irungu, Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid and National Muslim Leaders Forum Chairman Sheikh Abdullahi Abdi faulted the state for not acting with speed to stop the disappearances and killings.

 They singled out a case lawyer Hassan Nandwa who  disappeared for more than a week after his abduction. Nandwa was dumped about 200 kilometers away from Nairobi where he was found alive in Mwingi and later reunited with his family.

It is not clear who was behind his abduction and where he was during that time and his client and ex- terror convict Elgiva Bwire is yet to be found. The two went missing since October 28 after Bwire was released from jail.