Kenyan police killed at least 33 people, possibly as many as 50, and injured hundreds more in some parts of the country’s capital, Nairobi, in response to protests following the August 8, 2017 elections, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said in a joint report.
The 37-page report, “‘Kill Those Criminals’: Security Forces’ Violations in Kenya’s August 2017 Elections,” documents excessive use of force by police, and in some cases other security agents, against protesters and residents in some of Nairobi’s opposition strongholds after the elections, the report said.
According to the research, police shot or beat protesters to death in some instances. Some other deaths were caused by inhaling of teargas and pepper spray, being hit by teargas canisters or being trampled to death by fleeing crowds.
“Dozens of people were killed and many more left with life-altering injuries in attacks by the police against opposition supporters,” said Michelle Kagari, deputy regional director for East Africa, the Horn, and the Great Lakes at Amnesty International. “This deadly use of excessive force has become a hallmark of police operations in Kenya and must be decisively stopped before the next election takes place.”
151 victims, witnesses, human rights activists, aid workers and police were interviewed in the research.
Prior Human Rights Watch research documented 12 killings by police during protests in western Kenya. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights documented 37 deaths, five of which are in addition to the 33 cases documented in the report. Taken together with the 17 others allegedly killed by police, the nationwide death toll could be as high as 67.
“The Kenyan authorities should publicly acknowledge the violations, conduct speedy, impartial, thorough, and transparent investigations, and take the necessary steps under the law to hold those responsible to account as a key step toward justice for the victims,” said Otsieno Namwaya, Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“The police attacked opposition supporters and then tried to cover up their attacks. The authorities should ensure that this kind of arbitrary and abusive use of force by police does not recur in the repeat election.” Namwaya further said.
Video of the protests by Human Rights Watch
In September the country’s Supreme Court annulled the August elections stating some irregularities. The court called for a rerun presidential election, which is to take place on October 26.
