Police used unmarked vehicles and ambulances to trail and
target protesters for shooting during the Saba Saba demonstrations, according
to a preliminary report by a consortium of human rights organisations released
on Tuesday.
The Police Reform Working Group also claim that police used
sexual violence as part of brutal force deployed against protesters on July 7
especially in places like Kajiado and Kiambu.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported that
by Friday, the death toll had risen to 41 people. At least 130 others were
still recovering from injuries, receiving care at home and in various health
facilities across the country.
Police spokesman Muchiri Nyaga was not available to comment
on the findings by the lobbies but the government has maintained that any
officer who violates the law will be held individually accountable.
On Tuesday, the coalition of rights groups disclosed they
had visited a sample of hospitals and documented a range of injuries, including
gunshot wounds to the head and limbs, as well as machete cuts—inflicted by
armed individuals who disrupted otherwise peaceful demonstrations.
In one Nairobi hospital alone, 21 patients were being
treated for gunshot injuries.
The Police Reform Working Group comprises organisations such
as Amnesty International Kenya, Independent Medico-Legal Unit, Kariobangi
Paralegal Network, Katiba Institute and Defenders Coalition.
Others include Social Justice Centres Working Group, ICJ
Kenya, International Justice Mission, HAKI Africa, Kenya Human Rights
Commission and FIDA.
In their preliminary update, these entities revealed that
their investigations in key hotspots of violence uncovered that armed
plainclothes men operated in unmarked vehicles, with ambulances trailing them.
A fact-finding mission reviewed video footage and collected
numerous eyewitness accounts documenting grave violations from Ngong and nearby
towns in Kajiado county including Rongai, Kitengela and Kiserian.
The findings cite violations including “the use of live
ammunition against unarmed civilians, extrajudicial executions, disappearances
and unlawful arrests.”
The evidence points to serious allegations of unlawful
conduct and extrajudicial killings by individuals suspected to be police
officers.
“Witnesses reported that armed men—suspected members of the
National Police Service or affiliated security units—arrived in unmarked Subaru
SUVs with no license plates, issued aggressive commands, and indiscriminately
fired live ammunition at both protesters and bystanders,” the report states.
Under the National Police Service Act, officers are mandated
to issue clear warnings, use less-lethal and proportional force, and report
every use of firearms to their superiors and the Independent Policing Oversight
Authority.
“These shootings occurred in broad daylight and densely
populated areas, putting many lives at risk. Shortly after, ambulances arrived
at the scenes. Witnesses observed injured individuals being loaded into
ambulances, which then drove off to unknown locations. Disturbingly, several
ambulances were seen trailing the unmarked Subarus, raising serious concerns
about the coordination and purpose of this response," it reads.
The coalition also decries the lack of accountability,
noting that Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has yet to identify those
operating the unmarked Subarus, clarify their institutional affiliations, or
provide a legal justification for their actions.
The lobbies say there has also been no explanation about who
owns the ambulances, why they were deployed alongside the armed units or the
destination of those they transported.
They say the lack of transparency only continues to erode
public trust and intensify fear of state-sponsored violence and enforced
disappearances.
Instant analysis
The use of unmarked vehicles and coordinated ambulance
operations signals alarming breaches of legal policing standards. This opaque
approach undermines accountability and fuels public distrust in law
enforcement’s respect for human rights.
