Following the release of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) documentary exposing egregious human rights violations during anti-Finance Bill demonstrations last year, a critical examination is required to determine whether the Kenya Kwanza administration has implemented corrective measures.
Specifically, attention must be directed toward holding accountable those responsible for State-sponsored brutality and extrajudicial killings, as well as providing appropriate redress to victims. The documentary demonstrated the laissez-faire approach with which the government handled the aftermath of the demonstrations, which led to significant loss of life among the youth.
Yet, when President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga committed to working together, they pledged to ensure that victims of the post-election and anti-budget demonstrations would receive compensation, and that those responsible for injustices would be held accountable. Several months later, no concrete action has been taken to reflect the gravity of their commitment.
The President and Mr Odinga should know that the cries for justice from innocent lives lost is a poignant reminder of the urgent need for accountability. Further, there is need for systemic reforms in how law enforcement should interact with citizens, particularly when citizens are unarmed and peaceful.
According to reports from human rights organisations such as the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and Amnesty International, law enforcement officers were implicated in the deaths of numerous young people during protests following the elections and anti-budget demonstrations.
KNCHR documented that between August and September 2023, 40 fatalities occurred and more than 20 are still missing, many of them young individuals who were shot during these demonstrations. This figure is not merely a statistic, it represents lives tragically cut short, families devastated, and aspirations extinguished, underscoring the urgent need for closure so that families can move forward.
The violence witnessed during this period raises pressing concerns about the accountability of the law enforcement agencies. The deployment of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators is not only a grave violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust that citizens place in both the government and security institutions. Law enforcement is tasked with upholding public safety and protecting the rights of citizens, yet the tragic aftermath of the post-election and anti-budget protests reveals a troubling pattern of systemic brutality and unchecked impunity.
Particularly alarming is the fact that many of the victims were young individuals, often regarded as beacons of hope and agents of societal transformation. Their active participation in protests signified a yearning for a brighter future defined by democratic principles and civic engagement.
Instead of fostering dialogue, and mutual respect, these aspirations were met with violence and loss of life. Such a disproportionate and hostile response to peaceful and unarmed demonstrators not only stifles dissenting voices but also perpetuates fear, discouraging citizens from exercising their fundamental democratic rights.
The lack of accountability for police officers implicated in these killings intensifies the already dire situation. Numerous families of the victims have encountered significant barriers in their pursuit of justice, including intimidation and insufficient support from authorities.
This systemic failure to hold perpetrators accountable conveys a deeply troubling message that acts of violence against citizens, particularly during protests, are tolerated and may occur without consequences. By and large, the blood of the victims of state-sponsored violence during post-election and anti-budget demonstrations is still crying for justice and the government should make atonement for this injustice.
By Jacktone Ambuka