A recent report unveils troubling statistics regarding police killings in Nairobi County, with nearly half of all police-related deaths occurring in the capital city last year. Released on Wednesday, April 24, the report sheds light on the persisting issue of police impunity and citizens' rights denial in Kenya.
The "Missing Voices 2023 Report," compiled by both local and international human rights organisations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International Kenya, and the Kenyan group Missing Voices, shows a decrease in police-related fatalities in 2023 compared to the previous year.
However, concerns linger regarding the accountability of law enforcement and the protection of citizens.
According to the report, 118 individuals lost their lives at the hands of the police in 2023, marking a decrease of approximately nine percent from the 130 deaths recorded in 2022.
However, the number of people shot by police increased slightly, with 113 fatalities in 2023 compared to 111 in 2022. Two individuals died in police custody in 2023, down from three in 2022.
Data from the report indicates that July witnessed the highest number of police killings in 2023, with 32 recorded cases. This figure surpasses the highest monthly tally of 28 recorded in January 2022.
Nairobi County emerged as the epicentre of police-related fatalities, with 46 deaths reported, significantly outnumbering the second-highest county, Kisumu, which recorded nine cases.
Of the total fatalities, nearly half occurred during crime-fighting operations, while 45 individuals lost their lives during opposition demonstrations between March and July 2023. These protests, aimed at addressing rising living costs, were marred by allegations of police brutality and sporadic violence.
Despite a decrease in anti-crime operation fatalities from 91 cases in 2022 to 58 in 2023, anti-riot killings surged amidst protests against the Finance Bill. However, fatalities resulting from anti-terror operations plummeted from 18 in 2022 to just one in 2023.
Men comprised 94 per cent of police-related fatalities in 2023, with individuals aged between 19 and 35 at the highest risk.
The report highlights the challenges in obtaining victim details, particularly during nighttime anti-crime operations, contributing to numerous cases being classified as unknown.
According to the report, out of roughly 113 cases, only five police officers were arrested, primarily in incidents related to Gender-Based Violence.
The report comes just days after President William Ruto in response to claims that the death of the Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla on Thursday last week was an assassination, stated, “For the avoidance of doubt and without any fear of contradiction, there shall never be extrajudicial killings or political assassinations. It will never happen again. Not under my watch.”
