Is Kenya enticing a notorious name of "extrajudicial killing country”?

New Delhi: In what authorities claimed was a mistaken identity, Kenyan police officers killed Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif on October 23 night.

Zulfikar Ahmed Khan and Mohamed Zaid Kidwai, two Indians and prominent media personalities, along with their driver, Nicodemus Mwania, were abducted and allegedly killed by Kenyan special troops.

"The disappearance of my son has ruined my life. I feel like I lost my mind, but I have come to accept that they killed him. I have no hope of getting any help from the government because they knew all along what was happening," Helen Wairimu tells the Sunday Nation.

Four suspects, including policeman Fredrick Leliman, have been found guilty of killing lawyer Wille Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and driver Joseph Muiruri.

These are some of the recent cases reported where Police were directly responsible for the extrajudicial killing of civilians and tourists across Kenya, where the US and the UK have already issued a strong travel advisory asking their citizens to take extra precautions and not to visit some marked areas.

In 2021 alone, 219 police killings and enforced disappearances were reported.

"Out of these, 187 cases were of police killings, and 32 of enforced disappearances. Of the 32 cases of enforced disappearances, two of the victims were later found alive after campaigns by civil society organizations," Missing Voices said.

Missing Voices, a consortium of fifteen Civil society organizations, have come out with a report indicating that more such incidences are spread across the country than initially thought. In 2019, Missing Voice documented 145 cases of police killings. 168 people were killed or disappeared in police custody in 2020.

Last week, newly elected Kenyan President Ruto disbanded a crack police squad known as the Special Service Unit (SSU). He explained that he decided after receiving an investigation report on the disappearance of the two Indian nationals and their Kenyan taxi driver.

Special Service Unit, a division of the Police that had become notorious for politically-motivated killings. The SSU is a division of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), allegedly linked to the murder of two Indians and a local Kenyan.

The report recommended disbanding the unit to pave the way for the conclusion of investigations before the file is forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. 

President Ruto said more changes were in the offing as his administration seeks to overhaul security management.

"We have a plan on how to secure this country so that we avoid the shame of Kenyans killed in Yala River and others. We are going to change this country for the better," the newspaper Nation quoted the President.

For President Ruto, the alleged extrajudicial killings of two well-known Indians and a Pakistani anchor have once again highlighted the arrogance and unaccountability of Kenyan troops allegedly killing people extrajudicially.

The two missing Indians supported President Ruto's campaign team free of cost when they were abducted on July 23 from outside Ole Sereni Hotel on Mombasa Road in Nairobi. Four former SSU members are set to stand trial for their disappearance.

Meanwhile, Police continue to use excessive force. Locals feel that there has been a lack of political will as most of the political parties remain unstable and use police force as might to rule the country.

In their last report released early this year, Human Rights Watch mentioned the increase in extrajudicial killings by Police, including during the enforcement of Covid-19 containment measures.

Dead bodies found in River Yala in 2021 

Much has been written in the media and human rights reports about the river Yala, where dumped dead bodies, mostly found with torture marks, were recovered. Early this year, an expose of bodies floating in river Yala in western Kenya made headlines.

The hashtag #RiverYalaBodies first appeared on Twitter on December 10 2021, when Blogger and Activist Joel Mbirika shared a thread detailing how dozens of bodies were being retrieved from river Yala, stashed in sacks. 

Still, it was not until early 2022 that the story went viral after Haki Africa, a national human rights organization based in Mombasa, responded to the report.

According to Mbirika, a body is recovered from the river every two to three days. The bodies are taken to the Yala Sub-County hospital mortuary, where they are buried in mass graves. The dead bodies are usually of young male adults, probably in their thirties.

The social media uproar sparked by the story and the little media attention it received has since died down, and the saga has been long forgotten, and people have moved on.

Is travelling to Kenya becoming risky?

As such, no travel advisory has been issued by the Indian authorities; however, US and UK have issued travel advisories asking visitors to be careful when travelling after dark anywhere in Kenya due to crime. 

The advisory says, "Do Not Travel to Kenya-Somalia border counties and some coastal areas due to terrorism and kidnapping: Areas of Turkana County due to crime; reconsider Travel to Nairobi neighbourhoods of Eastleigh and Kibera at all times due to crime and kidnapping.”

Terrorist attacks in Kenya are not ruled out: There is a heightened threat of terrorism, including terrorist kidnappings, across Kenya. Attacks, including terrorist kidnappings, could target tourists or foreign nationals. Attacks could occur anytime, including religious or other public holidays or celebrations.

Bag snatching is common in transport hubs like bus stations, railway stations and airports. Mugging, kidnapping, carjacking and armed robbery occur regularly, particularly in Nairobi, Mombasa and other large cities. 

Country Profile: Violent crimes, such as armed carjacking, mugging, home invasion, and kidnapping, can occur anytime. Local Police are willing but cannot often respond effectively to serious criminal incidents and terrorist attacks. Emergency medical and fire service is also limited.

Terrorist attacks have occurred with little or no warning, targeting Kenyan and foreign government facilities, tourist locations, transportation hubs, hotels, resorts, markets/shopping malls, and places of worship. Terrorist acts have included armed assaults, suicide operations, bomb/grenade attacks, and kidnappings.