Relatives of people alleged to be victims of orchestrated disappearances and extra-judicial killings are demanding justice and immediate prosecution of those behind it.
A group of women, representing themselves as Mothers of the Victims and survivors of extra-judicial killings lamented that it has taken long for justice after the death of their relatives.
Speaking on Wednesday at Mama Ngina Drive in Mombasa County, they claimed that extrajudicial cases reported to the authorities since 2017 are still pending wondering when justice will be served and the perpetrators brought to book.
A mother who insisted on being called Mama Victor, as a memorial to her son who was allegedly killed by police in 2017 during election-related protests, said she shall never forget the pain and thus demands justice.
She said their lost relatives will not be remembered in honor but vowed never to be silenced as if no loss befell them.
“We have graves for statues and orphans whose fathers were killed for memories. We shall never forget and we demand justice,” said Mama Victor.
According to a report launched today by a lobby group known as Missing Voices, at least 157 people across the country were killed by police from last year to date.
A breakdown of the figures shows youth slightly above 18years were the majority victims of the killings, which accounted for 73 deaths with the rest being younger ones.
The report singled out places of informal settlements being the hotspot areas for the killings.
The cases are also said to have escalated in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as most reported testimonials by the victims’ families were due to clashing with police while enforcing the dusk to dawn curfew.
Family members of Hamisi Juma Mbega, 49, said their relative died on March 29, 2020 while receiving treatment at Msambweni referral hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained after an alleged attack by police who were enforcing curfew.
“He had dropped a woman who was in labor at the Likoni district hospital then on his way back home, faced the police who refused to understand his reasons as to why he was outside past curfew hours,” said Imani Hamisi, son of the deceased.
The lobby group has therefore called for the implementation of the Coroner’s Act, which calls for investigations of the cause of the deaths.
“We are sending our message to the Inspector General of police to help these families get justice,” said Haki Africa executive Director Hussein Khalid.
by Chari Suche
