Human Rights organization, Haki Africa, is now calling on the government to further probe other security agencies to establish their involvement in extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances in the country.
Haki Africa’s executive director Hussein Khalid, on Thursday in a press conference, said disbanding the special service unit (SSU), previously housed at the director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) office, was not enough as other agencies were also involved.
“We call on the government to take further steps beyond disbanding the dreaded Special Service Unit. We want to remind the president and the security authorities that these killer units go beyond the SSU” Said Khalid.
“We call on the authority to investigate the KWS, Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), KDF, Kenya Forestry Services, and the Anti Stock Theft Unit,” he added
Hussein claimed Haki Africa believes the named security agencies have something to do with the over 100 cases of extra judicial killings, abductions, and forced disappearances that they have recorded over some time.
The executive director expressed confidence in president William Ruto’s regime to handle the matter, especially after his confirmation that SSU was involved in extra-judicial killings.
“For the first time in this country he has acknowledged that we have had extra-judicial killings perpetrated by officers who were meant to protect the lives of Kenyans but turned rogue and engaged in extra-legal activities, killing and forcefully disappearance of Kenyans,” he stated.
on June 12, 2021, former military officer and security consultant Mwenda Mbijiwe disappeared mysteriously and has never been found. According to her mother, Jane Gatwiri, the search is taking a toll on her family. She asked the president to release her son as she believes he is still alive despite her visits to mortuaries in Kirinyaga, Chuka, and Embu.
Samson Teklemichael, an Ethiopian national, abduction in November 2021 forms part of the growing list of missing persons whom Hussein Khalid believes the government has answers on their whereabouts.
These, according to Haki Africa, are part of many families living in distress following the disappearance of their loved ones, thereby pleading with the interior CS Prof Kithure Kindiki to expedite investigations.
“As we continue to demand justice, we call on the president and those in authority particularly the Interior CS to ensure that we have a national dialogue as a country. Extrajudicial killing and enforced disappearances have affected victims, their families, and Kenyans who have continued to live in fear,”
The human rights group also lauded the move by the government, new DCI Boss Amin Mohammed, and the IAU on arresting and prosecuting officers allegedly connected with disappearances.
Editted by Henix Obuchunju
