The Civil society has issued 14-day ultimatum to the government through the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) to press charges against police officers who are implicated in the killing of unarmed Gen-Z protesters in the country.
The rights lobbies say despite the atrocities openly committed by police officers captured on camera, nothing tangible has been done so far by either IPOA or other government agencies to lawfully punish such inhumane police officers.
Addressing the press in Mombasa on Sunday, three human rights organisations; Vocal Africa Human Rights Agenda (HURIA) and Haki Africa, criticised the government for condoning how the police officers used excessive force in managing the protests.
Vocal Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid said to date, many families are yet to locate their missing children, some are still burying their children, while the government remains mum over the whole issue.
“We have attended burial ceremonies of more than 60 youth killed by police officers during the three-week Gen-Z protests and you want us to remain quiet about this? We must take seriously the critical human rights aspect, a reason why we want actions taken against those rogue police officers involved” said Khalid.
The vocal rights defender, said after the lapse of the 14-day ultimatum, the activists will unite and institute legal proceedings against the police and the Kenya Kwanza government.
“We want the government to openly admit that it committed these atrocities, it releases those youth detained in various unknown detention camps, compensate the families who lost their loved one through the police and most importantly an end to violation of human rights in the country,” said Mr Khalid.
He further blamed politicians and a section of religious leaders who are scrambling for government plumb jobs forgetting the pain families who lost their children are going through.
His sentiments have been shared by HURIA Executive Director, Yusuf Lule who said the government should listen to Kenyans and not some few politicians who have always surrounded and misadvised the president.
“Instead of listening to Kenyans and deliberate with them on how the country can move forward you are here blaming the Civil society claiming they are instigating violence, the country’s leadership is totally mislead,” said Lule.
He reiterated that the president should listen to the voices of the young people and execute their demands.
“For the past two decades I have been in human rights activism, I have never witnessed such an organised organic youthful revolution. The politician always think of bribing protesters and dishing handouts to youth during their political campaigns. Things are very different now and the youth have taken the lead role in changing the country’s leadership without anyone’s push or pay,” said Mr Lule.
“We are moving to court to ensure justice prevail to our fallen young heroes and heroines. We demand for justice to the families mourning their children. This is extra judicial killing,” said the Lawyer.
He said there is enough evidence gathered of police brutality and that only the courts can ensure the families get justice.
“If the IPOA and the Director of Public Prosecution will remain numb over these atrocities meted on innocent unarmed youth fighting for better governance. We will institute private prosecution against these officers since the evidence is bare in black and white,” said Abubakar.
