Human rights defenders from the Coast region have thrashed police defense over the recurrence of enforced disappearances in the country.
The activists stated that police have directly been involved in gross human rights violation in the country, however, they have presented themselves as a clean security service that upholds the constitution.
Speaking in Mombasa, Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) Rapid Response Officer, Francis Auma noted that the police have normalised oppressive tactics in the name of fighting crime and terrorism in the country.
According to Auma, since the 2007/8 post-election violence in the country where over 1300 Kenyans died and thousands displaced, there has been no tangible efforts to safeguard the constitution and human rights in the country.
“When we talk about police being involved in the arrest, disappearances and killings of innocent Kenyans we clearly know and understand what we are discussing here. The government is being inhuman and insincere on this matter,” said Mr Auma.
He lashed out at the Inspector General (IG) of police Douglas Kanja for giving false statements on who was involved in the recent Gen-Z killings and enforced disappearances in the country.
“We all saw what happened between the months of June and July this year where the government used excessive force in managing the anti-Finance Bill protests. Police are involved in the enforced disappearances and killings of the youth during the protests,” reiterated Auma.
Police defense
While appearing before the National Assembly Security Committee recently, IG Kanja defended the police saying they were not involved in any gross human rights violations, abductions, enforced disappearances and killings of the protestors.
According to Kanja, police only conducted lawful arrests and charged the accused persons before court.
“We recorded a total of 57 cases of claimed enforced disappearances and police arrests. Out of these cases, 22 were found alive, unfortunately 6 were found dead and 29 cannot be accounted for,” said Kanja.
His sentiments have only elicited bitter reactions from the public who are castigating Kenya Kwanza government for failing to protect Kenyans and safeguard the constitution.
Envoys from the US, UK, among other countries have raised the red flag over the increased cases of enforced disappearances, abductions and killings of innocent citizens calling on President William Ruto to immediately cease the gross human rights violations witnessed in the country.
