The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has called for comprehensive investigations into recent tragic events, including the discovery of mutilated bodies and ongoing protests across the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, KNCHR expressed concerns over the shocking discovery of dismembered and decomposing bodies at the Kware dumpsite in Mukuru Kwa Njenga.
KNCHR said according to police reports, the primary suspect confessed to killing 42 women, though only ten bodies have been recovered so far.
KNCHR condemned the murders and extended condolences to the victims’ families and emphasized the need for thorough investigations.
“Fellow Kenyans, the Commission commences this statement on a sombre mood occasioned by the recent horrific revelations of the presence of mutilated and decomposing bodies at the Kware dumpsite in Mukuru Kwa Njenga in Nairobi,” the KNCHR stated.
“The Commission condemns those killings with the strongest terms possible. We condole with families that have lost their loved ones in these heinous killings.”
The KNCHR also voiced concerns about the burning of the quarry where some bodies were found, hoping it would not hinder the investigation.
They urged that investigations be conducted in line with the Minnesota Protocol, which aims to protect the right to life by promoting effective inquiry into suspected unlawful deaths or enforced disappearances.
“There is a need to rule out any possibility of extrajudicial killings. We cannot overemphasize the need for thorough forensic investigations into the deaths to establish cause and probable time of death,” KNCHR added.
KNCHR also addressed the recent wave of protests against the government, marking four weeks since they began.
The human rights organisation reported that 50 people have died as a result of the protests, with hundreds more injured. The commission called for proper investigations into these fatalities and injuries and demanded accountability for any instances of police brutality.
“So far a total of 50 people have died in relation to the protests. The dead are from various regions, including Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Mombasa. The number of the injured in relation to the protests countrywide stands at four hundred and thirteen (413),” the statement added.
In addition, KNCHR condemned ongoing abductions, arbitrary arrests and torture linked to the protests, reporting that 59 people are missing and 682 have been arbitrarily arrested.
The commission has sought court orders to address these issues and called for the immediate release of all unlawfully detained individuals.
“We condemn the abductions and arrests and demand an immediate and unconditional release of all the illegally detained persons in relation to the protests,” KNCHR stated.
The commission urged the President to uphold his commitment to human rights by issuing a zero-tolerance directive against violations by security agencies.
They also called on Parliament and the Treasury to provide the necessary funds for a thorough investigation into suspected extrajudicial killings and other involuntary deaths.
“As a Commission, we call out the lack of investigative conclusion on all those prior cases by the DCI, and urge Parliament and Treasury to allocate us funds to support an exhaustive and definitive enquiry into suspected cases of extra-judicial killings and involuntary deaths. It is time for the truth to be revealed,” KNCHR declared.