Rights groups, both local and international, have released a damning report revealing that 118 individuals fell victim to extrajudicial killings at the hands of Kenyan police in the previous year.
Published on Wednesday, the report highlighted ongoing impunity within the country’s security forces.
Compared to the previous year’s figure of 130, the 2023 statistics showed a decrease of approximately nine percent. Similarly, the number of “enforced disappearances” halved to 10 during the same period, according to the report jointly compiled by organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International Kenya, and Missing Voices.
Nearly half of these killings occurred within the context of crime-fighting operations, the report outlined. Additionally, it revealed that 45 individuals lost their lives during demonstrations held by the Kenyan opposition between March and July to protest the soaring cost of living.
These protests were marked by sporadic violence and looting, with accusations leveled against the police for employing excessive force.
The report underscored the prevailing issue of impunity, stating that police officers involved in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances rarely face arrest or prosecution.
Despite repeated assertions from President William Ruto since his 2022 election that he intends to curb violence and unlawful practices within law enforcement, concerns persist. Kenyan police have long been accused by rights groups of employing excessive force, particularly in marginalized communities.
Moreover, there have been allegations of police involvement in targeted assassinations, particularly against activists and lawyers investigating alleged rights abuses.
President Ruto previously pledged a revamp of the police service, including the dismantling of the Special Service Unit (SSU), notorious for enforced disappearances and murders.
However, challenges remain, as highlighted by Missing Voices, which has documented 1,350 deaths attributed to law enforcement officers since 2007.
Instances of justice are rare, with few cases of police officers being held accountable. Nonetheless, in a notable development last February, three police officers were sentenced for the murder of three individuals, including a lawyer, dating back to 2016. Sentences ranged from 24 years in prison to the death penalty.
