•The activists said they would continue to demand transparency, accountability, and action from those in power.
• The lobbyists claimed there was tension and fear among Mukuru community residents, especially women, following the suspect’s alleged escape.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
We won’t rest until justice is served for the victims of Kware killings in Nairobi, human rights activists have said.
The Voices of Community Activists, Leaders of Africa VOCAL-Africa, and Mukuru Community Justice Centre members said the killings were not just a tragedy for the affected families and community, but a stark reminder of the deep-rooted issues plaguing police and society.
“The state’s handling of this situation has been at best questionable and worst, a deliberate attempt to divert attention from critical national issues,” the lobbyists said in a statement.
The statement was read by VOCAL Afrika CEO Hussein Khalid and Mukuru Community Justice Centre Co-chair Anami Toure during a joint presser at Mukuru Kwa Njenga in Embakasi South on Friday.
The activists said they would continue to demand transparency, accountability, and action from those in power.
“The people of Kenya deserve nothing less than the truth, and we will not stop until it’s revealed. We call on all Kenyans to join us in this fight for justice. Let us stand together in solidarity and hold those in power accountable for their actions,” Anami said.
“We the concerned citizens of Kenya, stand in solidarity with the people of Mukuru Kwa Njenga as we demand justice for the heinous killings that have taken place in this community. The recent wave of violence, coupled with the disturbing manner in which investigations have been handled, leaves us with grave concerns about the intentions and actions of the state,” Anami added.
Anami said the Mukuru Kwa Njenga community and Kenyans at large have been subjected to unimaginable horror.
“As we mourn with the victims’ families, we also raise our voices to demand truth, accountability, and justice. In this regard, we demand and raise the following concerns; the handling of the retrieval of bodies from the Kware killings dump site has been nothing short of appalling," Anami said.
"According to public statements made by the police, the suspect ‘admitted’ to killing 42 women. Yet, to date, only parts of 17 bodies have been discovered. Why have the police suspended the retrieval of bodies when there are still many unaccounted for? What are they trying to hide by stalling this process? The families of the victims deserve closure, and the public deserves to know the full extent of these crimes.
“We demand that the retrieval of all bodies be resumed immediately and that a full accounting of the deceased be provided to the public."
They also demanded answers on the main suspect in the killings, who reportedly escaped from police custody recently.
The lobbyists claimed there was tension and fear among Mukuru community residents, especially women, following the suspect’s alleged escape.
“Since the “alleged” escape of the suspect, Mukuru Community, especially women, have been living in fear for their lives, not knowing whether they are safe. There is a lot of tension in the air, and women are forced to be extra cautious while going about their business,” Khalid said.
Khalid said there was a danger to women who remain vulnerable, forcing them to abandon their daily operations early, thus affecting their income.
They also demanded an end to what they termed harassment and intimidation of Kware residents, those who assisted in retrieving bodies and families of victims.
“In the recent past and since the "alleged" escape of the suspect, police have been harassing the people of Mukuru, especially youth, those that assisted in the retrieval of bodies and families of victims.
They have been summoning some, threatening to arrest a few, and in other situations, wanting to know their whereabouts. They have also made attempts to intimidate Mukuru Community Justice Centre from doing its work, demanding to know who funds them or how they operate,” Khalid said.
“We view the above as attempts to silence the people and force them to remain silent. We demand that the threats and intimidation cease with immediate effect. We shall not relent until the truth is unearthed and justice is done to the victims and their families,” he added.