- "That journalists covering the protests have had their cameras confiscated, arrested and beaten in broad daylight."
- They said the government must provide necessary supplies, including ambulances, and guarantee the safety of caregivers during the planned protests for this week.
Image: file
Six national associations of content creators, journalists, lawyers, medical practitioners, and human rights defenders are now demanding that the government respects their mandates during protests.
In a statement, the six national associations also demand that the government take decisive executive action to ensure their safety during the protests.
Kenya Medical Association, Bloggers Association of Kenya, Law Society of Kenya, Kenya Union of Journalists, Medics for Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group, and a coalition of 21 organisations including Amnesty International Kenya noted that the last two weeks have been very stressful for their staff.
"Medical personnel have come under fire, arrested by state officers and had their patient lists stolen from mobile emergency centres serving the injured," the associations said.
The associations claimed lawyers have been denied access to their clients, arrested, and intimidated by officers of the state to drop cases.
"Journalists covering the protests have had their cameras confiscated, arrested and beaten in broad daylight."
And that staff operating helplines and funds set up to support legal representation and medical assistance have faced several challenges.
"We ask that the Kenyan authorities respect our mandates and stop the harassment of our staff and the interruption of legal, medical and other public services," they said.
The associations said the security officers must cease the attacks on emergency medical centres and medical personnel.
They said the government must provide necessary supplies, including ambulances, and guarantee the safety of caregivers during the planned protests for this week.
"The state must meet the medical costs of the injured. The government’s constitutional duty is to provide health services to all, including protestors," the associations said.
They said the National Police Service must stop criminalising protestors and cease using camouflaged, non-uniformed officers and unmarked cars with concealed license plates.
"We ask that the police and military strictly operate within the constitution and our bill of rights during the protests called for this week," they said.
The associations noted that as of June 30, 24 human beings had been killed, and at least 361 people had reported several injuries.
One of the youngest fatalities was twelve-year-old Kennedy Onyango.
The associations said there have been 627 arrests and 32 abductions. "Abduction and detention differ from an arrest."
"Many of those abducted by state officers were not read the charges against them or booked into a police station. Tens have been held incommunicado and denied access to their families, legal representation and medical assistance," they said.
The associations noted that the protestors want the state to arrest public theft and a bloated cabinet, invest in essential services, act on those who fired upon unarmed protestors, release those arbitrarily arrested and put an end to extrajudicial killings among other demands.
In their opinion, many of the demands do not require policy dialogue but decisive executive action.
"Decisive executive action, not a state-led national conversation, will restore this generation’s faith in the Kenyan state," they said.