Opposition wants inquest into police killings

The country's Opposition chiefs are calling a public inquest into police brutality and use of excessive force in containing protests.

The leaders also announced the formation of a justice restorative commission led by former Attorney General and Cabinet Secretary (CS) Justin Muturi to report cases of government misconduct.

Speaking at Kenyatta National Hospital yesterday, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Former CS Fred Matiang’i, and DAP-K Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa, among others, said the commission will account for the injustices committed by the State.

“We will soon let Kenyans know where they will be reporting cases of police brutality and other forms of oppression so that we can have a detailed account and evidence of what is happening in the country,” said Kalonzo .

This comes even as questions mount over Dr Matiang’i’s role in police brutality while he served as Interior CS under the Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.

In a statement on Thursday, Matiang’i declared his readiness to face scrutiny over controversial deaths that occurred during his time at the helm of the country’s powerful security docket.

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Among the cases he referenced were the killings of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Manager at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chris Msando, the disappearance of Kianjakoma brothers, the death of police officer Kipyegon Kenei, and the dozens of unidentified bodies recovered from River Yala in Siaya County.

 “Let us go and explain some of these things that have happened even before 2023 so that we can now move forward together as a country,” Matiang’i said while visiting victims who were injured during the June 25 protest at the hospital.

During the address, Matiang’i  defended his track record arguing that, during his time, the severity and extent of police brutality was not in the magnitude being witnessed today.

He further said that the Uhuru Kenyatta administration owned up to police brutality under his leadership.

“Whether we start with Chris Msando, we come to Jacob Juma, Kipyegon Kenei, River Yala and everything else... Let these things be investigated by an open public inquest,” he said.

Matiang’i’s remarks come in the wake of a brutal police crackdown on anti-government protests on Wednesday, which left at least 16 people dead across the country. 

Civil rights groups and government officials have pointed fingers at Matiang’i noting that during his time in office, the CS presided over some of the most violent episodes of police brutality in the country’s history.

Matiang'i was appointed as acting Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government following the death of Joseph Ole Nkaissery in 2017.

It is during his tenure that protesters from the Orange Democratic Movement(ODM)party were killed following the disputed 2017 presidential election.

During the protest, police were accused of using excessive force on protesters and residents in opposition strongholds such as Nairobi’s Mathare and Kibera slums. 

At least 37 people were killed in just a few days, according to a Human Rights Watch report. Many victims, including children were shot at close range.

Civil society groups accuse Matiang’i of being unapologetic in defending police operations during civil unrest. 

In January 2022, human rights group Haki Africa and the media exposed the discovery of over 30 unidentified bodies retrieved from the River Yala in Siaya County.

Many victims showed signs of torture, mutilation, and prolonged suffering before death.

Local residents and divers reported finding bodies stuffed in sacks, tied with ropes, or with visible head injuries.

The River Yala deaths became a blueprint of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Activists and victims' families accused the police and security agencies of conducting secret executions and dumping bodies in the river to conceal evidence.

Despite public outcry and demands for answers, no comprehensive government report has been released. Most of the bodies remain unidentified.

The mysterious shooting of Sergeant Kipyegon Kenei, a security officer stationed at the then Deputy President William Ruto's Harambee House Annex office in Nairobi, was another prominent incident during Matiang'i's time as CS.

Kenei was found dead at his home in Imara Daima estate, Nairobi, with a single gunshot wound to the head.

His death came days before he was scheduled to record a statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) regarding Sh39 billion fake arms procurement scandal (commonly referred to as the Fake Arms Deal) involving former Sports CS Rashid Echesa.