FILE – In Nairobi, on a heated June day in 2024, Kenyan anti-riot police detained a protester.
NAIROBI, KENYA — On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch pointed fingers at Kenyan security forces, accusing them of abducting, torturing, and killing individuals believed to be the masterminds behind anti-government protests from June to August.
Reports emerged that these security personnel unlawfully detained abductees in off-the-grid locations like dense forests and deserted buildings, cutting them off from family and legal support.
Mary Muthoni Mwangi, hailing from the serene rural landscape of Kirinyaga in central Kenya, recounted her tragic loss during the protests. Her young son, merely 20, was among the thousands of fiery young Kenyans rallying against heightened taxes.
Her son, Kennedy Njeru, became part of history on June 25, when, amid the heat of protests, demonstrators energetically stormed the parliament as lawmakers nodded to a spike in taxes.
Mary’s four-day frantic search for Kennedy led her to the city morgue, where she faced the harsh reality: his life ended by a bullet to the head, as confirmed by the postmortem report.
Nationwide, human rights groups claim a death toll of 61 during these tumultuous weeks.
Human Rights Watch laid blame squarely at the feet of Kenyan security agencies for orchestrating the abductions, torture, and killings of perceived protest leaders.
Mausi Segun, the helm of HRW’s Africa division, elucidated, “The initial kidnappers may be unknown, but police involvement is undeniable, given the victims’ journeys through police stations and the subsequent torture during custody.”
She further remarked, “There’s a lack of clarity about the deceased victims’ end stories, but witnesses of their abductions clearly identified their captors as security agents.”
HRW’s diligent researchers conversed with 75 individuals, encompassing victims, distraught family members, inquisitive journalists, diligent parliament staff, and even police officers.
These respondents painted a chilling picture of the police pursuit, masked in plain clothes, hidden faces, and anonymous vehicles, creating a maze for desperate families, rights groups, and government bodies to trace victims.
Segun lamented that some of the abducted suffered torture and faced grim fates.
“Bodies, sometimes found across streets, quarries or obscure dumping grounds, echoed the suffered violence: a grim testament to their captors’ brutality,” she conveyed.
“These bodies, bearing torture and grotesque dismemberment signs, have yet to be returned to their grieving families,” she lamented.
Kenyan security forces firmly reject any claims of their involvement in these harrowing abductions and murders.
During a town hall meeting in Kisumu, President William Ruto stated in late August that he remained oblivious to any kidnappings, urging families to present names to the government for action.
Human Rights Watch insisted that the maddening cycle of abductions, disappearances, and killings stands well-documented, urging the president and other governmental entities to ensure accountability for those responsible.
In a poignant scene on September 24, Mary Mwangi — alongside a wave of activists and grieving family members — boldly attempted to hand a list of the missing and deceased to the president’s office.
However, they faced teargas, adding another layer of tragedy.
In a final twist, Ruto decided not to endorse the proposed tax increase into law.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
