Amnesty International Releases Report Detailing Kenya’s 33 Post-Election Killings

Amnesty International in collaboration with Human Rights Watch has released a report of post-election killings saying that the police killed at least 33 people in Nairobi after the August 8 elections.

The 37-page report titled: “Kill Those Criminals’: Security Forces’ Violations in Kenya’s August 2017 Elections,” was released on Monday, October 16.

It alleges that the police killed the citizens during the protests that broke out in parts of Nairobi after the aouncement of President Uhuru Kenyatta as the wier of the August 8 election which was later aulled by the Supreme Court.

Read Also: Human Rights Watch: Police Kill 12 During The Post-Election Protests

The two human rights groups also reported that hundreds of people were injured in the post-election protests that erupted in Mathare, Kibera, Babadogo, Dandora, Korogocho, Kariobangi, and Kawangware slums between August 9 and 13.

The police have, however, denied and disputed the international organization’s report on the killings.

Police spokesperson George Kinoti in a statement said:

“We wish to refute the claims as totally misleading and based on falsehoods. We are studying the report and will issue a comprehensive report later.”

Nairobi Police Commander Japheth Koome is yet to issue an immediate comment on the report.

This is the 2nd report released in as many weeks detailing the brutality of Kenyan security forces and post-election killings.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights blamed the police for 37 deaths that occurred as police moved in to quell the post-election violence.

The report titled ‘Mirage at Dusk’ also said that a majority of the victims killed were from one ethnic community of which seven of those killed were minors, including a six-month-old baby who was hit on the head by a police officer in Kisumu.

Read Also: Post-Election Violence: How Security Forces Are Preparing To Deal With Crisis

Kenya Red Cross Society had also said it picked up 93 people who were injured during the violence.

MSF Kenya, which has its own ambulances and involves figures not counted by the Red Cross, reported that 54 people were treated at its clinics, raising the toll of those wounded to at least 150 people.

Protests are still expected to continue across different Counties in Kenya as NASA leaders have vowed to continue protesting to push for changes at the IEBC.

The government has, however, warned that it will not allow protesters to stage demonstrations in the city centres of Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa.