This archive report was first published on 3 May 2021.
On 3rd May 2021, Human Rights Organisations under the Police Reforms Working Group expressed concern over the rising cases of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings in Kenya.
The group's concern follows the discovery of a youthful resident of Mathare, who was found dead at the City Mortuary after being arrested last week.
Two of his friends are still missing, and three police officers working in the area have been linked to the incidents.
Amnesty International-Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton called for the alleged killer officers to be arrested and arraigned in court.
"The Police Reforms Working Group has received a number of complaints against the same officer and others such as Ahmed Rashid of Pangani. We are shocked and perturbed that the duty bearers in the Ministry of Interior, the National Police Service and Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) have not taken steps to bring these officers to justice," Houghton said during a press conference.
He further called on President Uhuru Kenyatta, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiangi and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to publicly condemn the vice.
According to the Missing Voices annual report, police officers killed 157 Kenyans in 2020 and forcefully disappeared 10 Kenyans in their custody.
"We demand swift action to end the reign of terror on Kenyan youth in Mathare and other informal settlements in Nairobi and across the country including Mombasa and Kisumu," Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid said.
Other organisations represented under the Police Reforms Working Group include the Independent Medico-Legal Unit, Defenders Coalition, International Justice Mission, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Women Empowerment Link, Transparency International-Kenya, Usalama Reforms Forum among others.
Recently, four men were abducted from Kitengela and so far, two have been found killed in Muranga and Kiambu areas, more than 100 kilometres from where the incident happened.
The Inspector General of Police has formed a special unit of homicide detectives to probe the harrowing killings, with four weeks to unravel the mystery and have those involved brought to book.
