The activists at Haki Africa offices in Mombasa on
Monday /BRIAN OTIENO
Human rights activists at the Coast are piling pressure on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to take action against political leaders, including President William Ruto, over their utterances.
The activists, drawn from Vocal Africa, Haki Yetu, Muhuri and Haki Africa, on Monday said the NCIC should summon Ruto, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Belgut MP Nelson Koech for their alleged careless remarks which they said are inciting the police against the people.
“Why is he [NCIC chair Samuel Kobia] not getting these people arrested? Because nobody is above the law. Not even the President himself. Unfortunately, very young lives are lost for nothing,” Muhuri’s Khelef Khalifa said.
He spoke at Haki Africa during a press briefing.
This comes days after the President ordered police to shoot goons looting during protests in the leg.
Koech went further and said protesters should be shot dead.
But Khalifa said human lives matter more than property, which can be replaced.
“There is nowhere in the world where you can equate life with property,” Khalifa said.
He said the leaders, led by Ruto, are propagating tribal politics.
Vocal Africa’s Hussein Khalid said the government points fingers at everyone else but themselves.
He said Ruto’s shoot-the-leg order is akin to shoot-to-kill, yet the constitution presumes everyone innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.
“The first person who died during these protests, Rex Masai, died as a result of a shot in the leg,” Khalid said.
The Saba Saba protests resulted in the deaths of 40 people – the highest in the country’s history in a single day.
“We believe that the high number was a result of the reckless utterances by politicians, including the CS for Interior Kipchumba Murkomen. We cannot allow such utterances to go by unchecked."
He reiterated that the NCIC should summon Ruto, Murkomen and Koech.
“These people must be held to account. Kenya is not a banana republic for anyone to just shoot as they wish. Kenya is not a police state where police can just shoot and kill as they wish. We are a country governed by a constitution and laws,” Khalid said.
Those killed in protests since June last year were Kenyans who were fighting for a better country, not criminals or terrorists, he added.
“We want that acknowledgement from the state, an apology for the killings that have occurred in this country and for the families of victims to be compensated,” Khalid said.
Yusuf Abubakar said the files sent by the Independent Police Oversight Authority to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions after the Gen Z protests last year were returned without any action.
“These 22 files must be taken to court and the police officers involved must be prosecuted,” Abubakar said.
He said the families of victims killed during protests must be compensated and those abducted by state operatives returned safely, adding that the arrogance by state officers must stop.
“That is why we are calling on Rev Kobia, the chair of NCIC, to take action against the rogue politicians who utter statements that incite and threaten the security of Kenyans,” Abubakar said.
The government should properly implement the Public Order Act like it happened in Mombasa on June 25, he said, warning that Kenya is on the brink of lawlessness.
Munira Ali from Haki Yetu Organisation said the statements by political leaders, including the President, are inciting police officers against the people of Kenya.
The constitution, she said, guarantees the right to life, right to protest and the right to assemble peacefully.
The President and his allies are laying the groundwork for violence, arbitrary arrests and brutal crackdowns, Ali said.
“No leader has the right to override these protections with inflammatory words or veiled threats.”
Vocal Africa’s Walid Sketty said the right to life cannot be taken away by anybody including the President.
Sketty said Article 26 of the constitution, which talks about the right to life, can not be suspended.
“Even a court with a competent jurisdiction cannot enforce a penalty on death sentence, who are the police officers to shoot peaceful protesters and protect looters?” he posed.
During the protests on June 25, police officers “were seen side by side with looters, escorting goons and even protecting them”.
Sketty said the President should publicly retract his shoot-the-leg order and apologise to Kenyans.
Mombasa youth leader Raudha Mohamed decried the use of youth as goons.
“Are we really fighting for a better government or are we fighting each other?” Mohamed posed.
She said youth are not the government’s enemies but want justice and good governance.
