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IMLU report reveals 67 killed in last year's protests

A Kenyan protestor during the 2022 election protests in Kibera, Nairobi. File Photo: Justine Ondieki

By Mary Wambui | 24 Feb 2024

"A total of 67 persons were killed by police in public order policing between January and September 2023. Out of these, 51 were killed in five days in July," the report stated.

A new report by the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) shows that a total of 67 persons were killed between January and September 2023 during various protests across the country.

The human rights agency says it monitored 22 demos held during the period under review that uncovered the distressing figure that mostly affected the youth as the majority were aged between 18 to 35.

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"A total of 67 persons were killed by police in public order policing between January and September 2023. Out of these, 51 were killed in five days in July," the report stated.

The report that documented the victims by name and area where their killings happened shows that Kisumu County suffered the most deaths with 22 documented victims followed by Nairobi (11) and Machakos County (8).

Other affected counties were Migori (7), Busia (3), Kajiado (3), Nakuru (3), Kisii (3), Siaya (2), Makueni (2), Wajir (2), Tharaka Nithi (1).

Out of the 303 alerts IMLU received on alleged police use of lethal force, they managed to respond to 296.

"23 per cent were extra-judicial executions, one enforced disappearance and 77 per cent were cruel treatment. All the victims were men," the report dubbed Death, Blood and Tears noted.

The demonstrations included the March and July Azimio la Umoja anti-government protests, sasa saba protests, Isebania protests over insecurity, Meru University protests over the ouster of their Vice Chancellor Prof Romanus Odhiambo, protests against tea plucking machines in Kericho and Nambale protests over a police vehicle running over a boy.

Others were the Chuka boda boda riders' protests over the killing of their county chairman Willis Kiraku Mugambi, forceful evictions protests in Kawangware and Kazamoyo and the Wajir protests over rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) who allegedly killed two men accused of killing a giraffe and transporting its meat.

"May this never happen again on our land. May the survivors and the dead get justice," Peter Kiama, former IMLU Executive Director said.

The findings of the report contradict assertions by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi that "police brutality and use of excessive force does not arise in Kenya."

Mudavadi made the assertions in Addis Ababa when he represented Kenya at the 44th Ordinary session of the Executive Council of the African Union where he was questioned over the state of Kenya police's human rights record.

He added that persons aggrieved by the police have mechanisms to file reports through the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA) and added that the government was committed to supporting civilian oversight of police excesses.