Last year's killing of eight youths at Mukuru kwa Reuben slums stood out during #MachoziYaJana public dialogues in the area on Thursday.
Findings by human rights body IMLU showed officers summarily
, Nairobi, in April last year.
Four officers allegedly cornered the youths aged between 17 and 24 years at an open space in the slum, hurled them into a corner and executed them.
They said they were criminals but a mother told today's meeting on extrajudicial killings that her 17 year old son's last words were: "Why are you killing us yet we are innocent?”
Stella Marries Nthenya said the officer who shot the youths at close range was identified only as Kimse.
The mother said her two children were together when someone called the police claiming the boys were up to no good.
“I thank God one survived by hiding.
My son said his brother was asking the police why he was killing them and they innocent. But the officer shot him dead anyway,” Nthenya told the meeting.
“If the children had anything wrong, they should have been arrested and taken to court. Why did they shoot them and they had surrendered? I live in fear, my remaining son has been threatened many times, I have met two cops who have harassed me, one took my bag and threw it on the floor.”
"The well known policeman who killed the eight young men is still around threatening to kill more," another resident said.
A Mukuru kwa Reuben resident speaks during #MachoziYaJana dialogues in the area, June 15, 2017. /IJM
Josephat Ogaya, who also lost his son Shadrack on April 19, 2016, said a man called police at about 6pm saying the eight "were not good".
"Two police officers came at the scene and talked to the boys who were having a meeting on how to do business. But one police officer shot them dead," he said.
Another speaker said: "One of the eight boys killed by police last year worked with me. I was shocked when the media said they were thugs."
Home made guns were reportedly found on the victims after the killings that drew nationwide condemnation.
Residents condemned the killings through demonstrations and called for lasting solutions to such killings.
A speaker identified only as Future told the forum told how his younger brother was shot 18 times by police after he was forced to cut his dreadlocks.
“We need to come up with a solution...killing in any form is wrong whether it is young boys or policemen being killed,” speaker Said said.
Mama Tutus said compensation will not bring her son back from the dead.
"JUST GIVE ME HIS BODY'
Cases of people who went missing after they were last seen with police came up during Wednesday’s dialogue in Dandora.
Residents said some have not gone back home several years after they were arrested.
"I'm still looking for my son's body since police arrested him in 2014. I just want his body to bury it," Esther Wambui said.
“Crime does not pay but neither does killing criminals,” said Beth whose husband has not returned home since he was arrested eight years ago.
Resident Wilfred Olal asked: “Why is it that when a Karen resident is arrested with a gun, he is charged with illegal possession of a firearm, but a Dandora youth is killed?"
Another speaker claimed some police officers "loan" their guns to gangs for criminal activities and that some of the killings may be the results of deals gone sour.
"Victims may be executed as a cover-up," he said. "Cases of those killed on suspicion and outside the law should be pursued and families compensated."
In Kibera last Saturday, concerns about the supply of guns to young boys and the killing of children arose during dialogues held in commemoration of the killing of human rights lawyer Willie Kimani.
Ogaya, who lost his son Shadrack on April 19, 2016, speaks during #MachoziYaJana dialogues in the area, June 15, 2017. /IJM
Human rights defenders including International Justice Mission, Amnesty International, KHRC and KNCHR are going to different parts of the country to hear concerns by police and the public.
They will hand a petition to President Uhuru Kenyatta on June 23.
The hash tag arose from gospel artiste Juliani’s hit single 'Machozi ya Jana' that is currently enjoying massive airplay in mainstream media. The song condemns extra judicial killings in the country, with Kimani's murder as the subject of reference.
HOPE NOT LOST
George Okal, from the National Police Service Internal Affairs Unit, encouraged residents to report cases of police brutality or extrajudicial killings, noting action can only be taken once this is done.
"If a wrong has been committed by a police officer but has not been documented, it never happened," he said.
IPOA echoed Okal’s sentiments saying its investigators will always act on complaints against police.
"Report the incidents to police. If they refuse to act, come to us. We are committed to working with the public but you should be willing to share information."
Members of the public say police officers are unapproachable and generally fear them as they often rough suspects up, without a care about innocence or guilt.
On April 1 emerged chilling footage of the killing of a Super Power gang member on a busy Eastleigh street.
A minute-long clip showed a person believed to be an officer in plain clothes apprehending a suspect. The body of another suspect covered in blood lies in the middle of the road.
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The Eastleigh incident led to investigations and reports that a rogue police officer referred to as 'Hessy wa Kayole' was involved. Hessy has been involved in several other executions of suspected gang members in Kayole.
The officer, who warns suspected criminals through Facebook and kills them if they persist, has been rebuked but also encouraged to carry on.
Detectives from the Cybercrime Unit are closing in on a Nairobi blogger and an AP officer accused of posting images of police suspects and victims of police shooting.
Investigators believe an officer based at Soweto AP camp feeds the blogger with the photos.