• Muhuri chairman Khelef Khalifa said her appointment comes at a time the organization is pushing for electoral justice, rule of law and accountability ahead of the 2022 general elections.
• Prior to her appointment at Muhuri, she was the coordinator for the Coalition for the Independence of the African Commission (CIAC)
Marie Ramtu has been appointed the new Muslims for Human Rights executive director with effect from August 1.
She becomes the first woman and non-Muslim executive director at Muhuri, since 1997 when the organization was founded.
Ramtu has over 10 years of experience in human rights activism in local, regional and international institutions.
Muhuri chairman Khelef Khalifa said her appointment comes at a time the organization is pushing for electoral justice, rule of law and accountability ahead of the 2022 general elections.
“Her stewardship will be decisive in ensuring adherence to a social justice framework before, during and after the elections in 2022,” said Khalifa in a statement on Monday.
Reports of a plot to postpone the 2022 polls have been rife in the country’s political circles.
However, most politicians, church leaders and human rights activists, have opposed any such move.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya has said there is no need to postpone the elections as they are enshrined in the Constitution, the supreme law of Kenya.
An advisory from the African Court on Human and People’s Rights said the State can postpone the elections if there is probable cause, including the country being at war or if there is a pandemic.
Her appointment also comes at a point when Muhuri has actively been championing access to justice among the poor and marginalized indigents of Lamu county, gaining recognition from UNDP.
The United Nations Development Program has hailed Muhuri and the Judiciary in Lamu for enhancing strategies to ensure locals, especially in Lamu East access justice effectively and efficiently.
“The Judiciary and especially Lamu Law Courts has been a key and strategic partner working with Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) towards enhancing justice access strategies among the poor and marginalized indigents of the vast Lamu East sub-county,” said UNDP resident representative Mandisa Mashologu in a letter.
The letter, dated July 19, was addressed to Lamu Law Courts principal magistrate Allan Sitati.
Khalifa said Ramtu’s appointment will provide a leadership that will increase attention to issues of inequality, marginalization and proper devolution, especially at the Coast.
“The Board is confident that she will lead Muhuri’s vision of ensuring we have a just society anchored on human rights and good governance,” said Khalifa.
Prior to her appointment at Muhuri, she was the coordinator for the Coalition for the Independence of the African Commission (CIAC), where she led the campaign to ensure the independence of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights following threats to weaken the mandate of the African Commission
Ramtu has also worked with the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (Nanhri) and Church World Service (CWS) Africa.
At Nanhri, she increased the capacity of national human rights organizations to respond to all forms of abuse.
At CWS, she shifted attitudes, policies and practices in protecting sexual and gender minorities, many of them migrants.
In her LinkedIn account, she describes herself as a lobbyist with expertise in designing, implementing, and managing programs to bring about social change and equality for vulnerable and marginalized populations in Africa.
“I am skilled in program development, management, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, social research and analysis that advances human rights for all, including in humanitarian contexts,” she says.