Kenya: Outrage over activists killings


  1. Alex Kiarie, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya Photo: Jack Shaka
    The killings of two human rights activists by unknown assailants have drawn round criticism by local and international human rights organisations. Kamau Kingara, and John Paul Oulo, were shot dead in Nairobi, along State House Road, while on their way to meet their colleagues at Ufungamano House.
    Kenya police Photo: Jack Shaka
    Many local and international organisations have called on the Director on Government Communication, Dr Alfred Mutua to resign or be sacked, for threatening the two activists of undisclosed action, just a few hours before they were killed.

    Dr Mutua had alleged that the Oscar Foundation, which was founded by Kamau Kingara, was a front for the outlawed quasi religious and proscribed group Mungiki.

    Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga condemned the killings and added that Dr Mutua is not the Grand Coalition's spokesman. He called on both the local and international community to help in unearthing the faces behind the killings.

    On his part, the American ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, said that hid government is ready to send in his country's sleuths- the FBI to help with investigations.

    The UN special Rapporteur Prof. Philip Alston called on the Scotland Yard and other investigators from South Africa to help with the investigations, since the Kenya Police cannot be trusted with the task, since they are suspects.

    The Kenya National Commission on Human Right (KNCHR) chair, Florence Simbiri Jaoko, pointed an accusing finger to the Kenya Police, saying that the killings might have been revenge against Kingara and Oscar Foundation, for their relentless efforts to highlight the cases of extra judicial killings carried out by Kenya's security agents.

    She added that the branding of Scar Foundation as a fundraising front for the outlawed Mungiki sect is a ploy aimed at justifying the killings of the two activists.

    Prior to his resignation, this Africa News writer once worked for Oscar Foundation as a Media Liaisons Officer, and is the one who edited the organisation's report on disappearances and the Oscar Foundation's submission to the Waki Commission.

    Speaking to Africa News, Evans Wafula, media consultant to the organization denied any link of the Oscar Foundation to the Mungiki sect, adding that some of the cases contained in the report were from as far away from central Province- the heartland of Mungiki- as Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western Provinces.

    It is claimed that the report on the extra judicial killings might have formed the basis of Pro. Alston's damning report on the Kenya Police and the Attorney General.



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