Police have executed more than 800 people through extra-judicial killings in the last five years.
Between 2007 and 2008, about 500 people were executed due to links with the outlawed Mungiki, former Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNCHR) commissioner Hassan Omar claimed.
Mr Omar, who was testifying before the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) on Monday, said after the KNCHR raised a red flag, police devised new ways of carrying out the killings.
He said people would disappear from their homes never to be found again or would be found dumped at the City Mortuary or on roadsides.
“Families that searched for their loved ones in police cells would be told to go away never to come back or they would disappear like them,” Mr Omar said.
Police would strangle the Mungiki members or drown them in rivers and create an impression that the deaths were caused by leadership rivalry.
“Because gun shots would easily unmask their extra-judicial killings, they resorted into killings where suspects’ bodies would disappear for good,” Mr Omar told TJRC commissioners Tecla Namachanja, (retired Maj) Ahmed Farah, Berine Dinka and Margaret Shava.
He told the truth team that last year alone, 60 suspected criminals died due to extra-judicial killings.
Mr Omar claimed at one time his life was in danger for raising the issue. According to him, lawyer Oscar Kingara and his assistant Paul Oulu, who were advocating against the killings in 2009, were killed by the police.
Mr Omar said former police officer Bernard Kirinya in 2008 provided the commission with information on how the force was carrying out extra-judicial killings but was snatched from their protection and killed.
“While he was still seeking United Nations asylum, which usually takes about two years, he was killed and police never investigated his death,” he said.
Ms Alice Wambui, whose husband Samwel Mwaniki was a suspected Mungiki member, told the commission he was arrested and taken to Kabete Police Station but the officers there denied this.
After several weeks of searching, she went back to Kabete and the station boss told her never to return lest she wanted to disappear like her husband.
“He told me to go and take care of the children or I also disappear like Mr Mwaniki and leave our children orphans,” she told the commission in tears.
Source: http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Police+executed+800+men+Truth+team+told+/-/1056/1374308/-/1afqcaz/-/index.html
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Kenyan Youths Protest Against the UK, Burn Flag
A group of youths held a demonstration in Nairobi on Tuesday against what they termed as interference in Kenya’s affairs by the British government.
The group calling itself Vijana Tuko Pamoja carried banners castigating the UK government which it accused of authoring an alleged dossier pushing for President Mwai Kibaki’s prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Kenya is a sovereign country which is a multi-party democracy under one of the most progressive Constitutions in the world,” the group said in a petition handed to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Nairobi.
“We are therefore, dismayed and disturbed by the continued interference by Her Majesty’s government in our internal affairs,” the petition read out by the group’s National Chairman Geoffrey Muya stated.
The group of more than 300 protesters first assembled at Uhuru Park grounds before they marched to the Foreign Affairs Ministry where they also burnt the UK flag.
“We are not going to be ruled by the UK government. Kenya is a sovereign state, they should stop meddling in our affairs,” they said, and warned that they were opposed to a planned visit by the British under secretary of State Henry Bellingham.
Tuesday’s protests took place even as President Kibaki held a series of meetings in his office at Harambee House which is adjacent to the Foreign Affairs Ministry where the protesters shouted and yelled insults at the British government.
“Bellingham should know that he is not welcome in Kenya at all,” they said of the UK minister’s planned visit in the petition addressed to Her Majesty’s Government.
Bellingham was expected in the country on Tuesday but there was no word on his arrival from either the British High Commission or the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
His visit was planned following allegations in Parliament last week that the UK was part of a ploy to have President Kibaki indicted by the ICC over his alleged role in the 2008 post-election once he leaves office.
Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula had told a parliamentary committee last week that Bellingham was expected in the country Tuesday or Wednesday to hold talks with government officials over the dossier depicting the UK as having conspired to have President Kibaki face charges over post election violence in The Hague.
The alleged dossier was tabled in Parliament two weeks ago by Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo.
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) detectives have been carrying an investigation on the authors of the alleged dossier which has been disowned by the British government as a forgery.
“We have made good progress in the investigation, there are several people we have identified as having a hand in the whole issue and it is just a matter of time before they are arrested,” one detective involved in the probe told Capital News. “The Police Commissioner is aware of all the steps we have taken in the investigation.”
The investigation was instituted following a directive by Attorney General Prof Githu Muigai who also wants any form of interference with ICC witnesses identified and prosecuted.
The group that held a protest in Nairobi also accused the British government of interfering with the ICC case against four Kenyans facing an imminent trial over their alleged roles in planning the 2007 post election violence which killed some 1,300 people and displaced nearly half a million others.
“Kenya being a stable state, our leaders should not have been charged in the ICC as the courts mandate relate to failed states,” the group said in the petition.
The petition was handed over to an under secretary in the Ministry who told the protesters that the Foreign Affairs Minister, his assistant and Permanent Secretary were away on official duties.
“The Kenyan youths are ready to face the British government head on! and resist policies geared towards Neo-colonialism and imperialism by the British Government,” the petition said.
They accused the British government of killing and maiming thousands of Kenyans before independence.
“It must be remembered that our past relationship with your government is fragile. The genocide committed by the British Government security forces against Kenyans during the struggle for independence is well documented,” they said.
Capital FM
The group calling itself Vijana Tuko Pamoja carried banners castigating the UK government which it accused of authoring an alleged dossier pushing for President Mwai Kibaki’s prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Kenya is a sovereign country which is a multi-party democracy under one of the most progressive Constitutions in the world,” the group said in a petition handed to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Nairobi.
“We are therefore, dismayed and disturbed by the continued interference by Her Majesty’s government in our internal affairs,” the petition read out by the group’s National Chairman Geoffrey Muya stated.
The group of more than 300 protesters first assembled at Uhuru Park grounds before they marched to the Foreign Affairs Ministry where they also burnt the UK flag.
“We are not going to be ruled by the UK government. Kenya is a sovereign state, they should stop meddling in our affairs,” they said, and warned that they were opposed to a planned visit by the British under secretary of State Henry Bellingham.
Tuesday’s protests took place even as President Kibaki held a series of meetings in his office at Harambee House which is adjacent to the Foreign Affairs Ministry where the protesters shouted and yelled insults at the British government.
“Bellingham should know that he is not welcome in Kenya at all,” they said of the UK minister’s planned visit in the petition addressed to Her Majesty’s Government.
Bellingham was expected in the country on Tuesday but there was no word on his arrival from either the British High Commission or the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
His visit was planned following allegations in Parliament last week that the UK was part of a ploy to have President Kibaki indicted by the ICC over his alleged role in the 2008 post-election once he leaves office.
Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula had told a parliamentary committee last week that Bellingham was expected in the country Tuesday or Wednesday to hold talks with government officials over the dossier depicting the UK as having conspired to have President Kibaki face charges over post election violence in The Hague.
The alleged dossier was tabled in Parliament two weeks ago by Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo.
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) detectives have been carrying an investigation on the authors of the alleged dossier which has been disowned by the British government as a forgery.
“We have made good progress in the investigation, there are several people we have identified as having a hand in the whole issue and it is just a matter of time before they are arrested,” one detective involved in the probe told Capital News. “The Police Commissioner is aware of all the steps we have taken in the investigation.”
The investigation was instituted following a directive by Attorney General Prof Githu Muigai who also wants any form of interference with ICC witnesses identified and prosecuted.
The group that held a protest in Nairobi also accused the British government of interfering with the ICC case against four Kenyans facing an imminent trial over their alleged roles in planning the 2007 post election violence which killed some 1,300 people and displaced nearly half a million others.
“Kenya being a stable state, our leaders should not have been charged in the ICC as the courts mandate relate to failed states,” the group said in the petition.
The petition was handed over to an under secretary in the Ministry who told the protesters that the Foreign Affairs Minister, his assistant and Permanent Secretary were away on official duties.
“The Kenyan youths are ready to face the British government head on! and resist policies geared towards Neo-colonialism and imperialism by the British Government,” the petition said.
They accused the British government of killing and maiming thousands of Kenyans before independence.
“It must be remembered that our past relationship with your government is fragile. The genocide committed by the British Government security forces against Kenyans during the struggle for independence is well documented,” they said.
Capital FM
Kenya Police Arrest 'ICC Email Hacker'
A journalist has been arrested by police on suspicion of hacking into the International Criminal Court server and obtaining confidential information. Dennis Itumbi was arrested on Thursday night at his rural home in Embu where he was reportedly hiding after evading four attempts at arrest by police. He is likely to spend the weekend in the cells before appearing in court on Monday.
Detectives from the Serious Crime unit started hunting for Itumbi on Monday after investigators from Cyber Crime Unit linked him to the alleged ICC hacking. The investigators staked out his house in Thindigua for days but could not find him. The police eventually tracked his phone in Embu on Thursday night. He was arrested, brought to Nairobi and detained at Muthaiga police station.
Investigators want to recover a computer or a mobile phone that the ex-People daily and Baraka FM reporter allegedly used to hack the ICC system. CID Director Francis Muhoro Ndegwa told the Star that the police were questioning Itumbi on suspicion of hacking into the ICC domain. Yesterday, Itumbi recorded a statement at CID headquarters denying that he had hacked into the ICC domain.
Last month, ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo threatened to seek arrest warrants for those interfering with witnesses in the Kenyan cases. Ocampo claimed that some individuals were threatening ICC witnesses who are likely to testify against the four Kenyan suspects facing trial over the 2008 post election violence.
CID Director Francis Muhoro and Serious Crime Unit boss John Kariuki yesterday met to decide the way forward. Police sources said Itumbi will be arraigned in court on Monday to answer two charges of hacking of a website and and email contrary to the Communication Commission Act. "We have no doubt that this the man we have been looking for," said the source.
Last week, Attorney General Githu Muigai directed the Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere, CID boss Francis Muhoro and NSIS boss Michael Gichangi to investigate the claims that a Kenyan had hacked into ICC emails to intimidate witnesses. Muigai said that he had received a complaint from Ocampo that there was “hacking of email accounts of a person of interest” and intimidation of witnesses.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing investigations, I wish to caution that any person guilty of interfering in any way with the process of the cases before the ICC or meddling in the local investigations relating to the post-election violence case, is liable and shall face the full force of law,” Muigai advised Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko.
Last month Itumbi threatened to sue fellow blogger Robert Alai for claiming that he was behind the forged UK Foreign Office documents that allegedly proved that Britain was supporting Prime Minister Raila Odinga. MPs on Monday are due to start investigating the origin and authenticity of the documents.
Itumbi was seen in Parliament on the day that the forged documents were distributed to MPs. Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo tabled the alleged briefing papers that apparently showed that the UK wanted to have President Kibaki indicted after he leaves office and to have Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto arrested in April.
Itumbi has been reportedly working as a consultant for Kenyan politicians. He has allegedly been paid for media coordination and other related activities. A document has been circulating showing the alleged monthly expenses of a local politician. It is not known if the document is genuine or forged. The document records that in January 'Dennis' received about Sh238,000 itemized as 'ICC related press conferences' and Sh18,800 for 'Serena Hotel (press conference hall hire bill).' Itumbi runs a popular blog on Facebook.
Source: The Star
Detectives from the Serious Crime unit started hunting for Itumbi on Monday after investigators from Cyber Crime Unit linked him to the alleged ICC hacking. The investigators staked out his house in Thindigua for days but could not find him. The police eventually tracked his phone in Embu on Thursday night. He was arrested, brought to Nairobi and detained at Muthaiga police station.
Investigators want to recover a computer or a mobile phone that the ex-People daily and Baraka FM reporter allegedly used to hack the ICC system. CID Director Francis Muhoro Ndegwa told the Star that the police were questioning Itumbi on suspicion of hacking into the ICC domain. Yesterday, Itumbi recorded a statement at CID headquarters denying that he had hacked into the ICC domain.
Last month, ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo threatened to seek arrest warrants for those interfering with witnesses in the Kenyan cases. Ocampo claimed that some individuals were threatening ICC witnesses who are likely to testify against the four Kenyan suspects facing trial over the 2008 post election violence.
CID Director Francis Muhoro and Serious Crime Unit boss John Kariuki yesterday met to decide the way forward. Police sources said Itumbi will be arraigned in court on Monday to answer two charges of hacking of a website and and email contrary to the Communication Commission Act. "We have no doubt that this the man we have been looking for," said the source.
Last week, Attorney General Githu Muigai directed the Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere, CID boss Francis Muhoro and NSIS boss Michael Gichangi to investigate the claims that a Kenyan had hacked into ICC emails to intimidate witnesses. Muigai said that he had received a complaint from Ocampo that there was “hacking of email accounts of a person of interest” and intimidation of witnesses.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing investigations, I wish to caution that any person guilty of interfering in any way with the process of the cases before the ICC or meddling in the local investigations relating to the post-election violence case, is liable and shall face the full force of law,” Muigai advised Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko.
Last month Itumbi threatened to sue fellow blogger Robert Alai for claiming that he was behind the forged UK Foreign Office documents that allegedly proved that Britain was supporting Prime Minister Raila Odinga. MPs on Monday are due to start investigating the origin and authenticity of the documents.
Itumbi was seen in Parliament on the day that the forged documents were distributed to MPs. Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo tabled the alleged briefing papers that apparently showed that the UK wanted to have President Kibaki indicted after he leaves office and to have Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto arrested in April.
Itumbi has been reportedly working as a consultant for Kenyan politicians. He has allegedly been paid for media coordination and other related activities. A document has been circulating showing the alleged monthly expenses of a local politician. It is not known if the document is genuine or forged. The document records that in January 'Dennis' received about Sh238,000 itemized as 'ICC related press conferences' and Sh18,800 for 'Serena Hotel (press conference hall hire bill).' Itumbi runs a popular blog on Facebook.
Source: The Star
Kenyan youths and poiliticians
Kenyan youth and politicians
As Kenyan
youths we need to come out strongly and condemn malicious politicians for misusing
their power and position to influence us in engaging in negative agendas that fulfill
their own selfish goals during the coming elections. As Kenyan youths we all
know very well what happened in the previous elections.During my years as a youth activist and community leader I remember being approached by politicians to manipulate and bribe the Kenyan youths to join forces with them in order to stay in power. I never once submitted to their demands and I together with others ended up suffering severe consequences, despite suffering harsh retaliation from authorities and the mungiki I never backed down because I believed that this was my calling from God and I needed to fight for the youth.
It is high time the youths in Kenya stop being
misused by some of our leaders who only want to get into or stay in power at
the expense of Kenyan youths. When we go vote next year let us not vote for the
leaders that we all know very well should be facing the icc yet they are just walking free and still enjoying their
political positions. And let us also not vote for any of the leaders currently
facing the icc until their cases have been solved it is a shame that these
leaders still have the audacity to ask for our votes.
Let
us give justice to Kenyans who lost their lives, we need true reconciliation with
our brothers and sisters, we need to look beyond our tribes, gender, religious
or economic status in order to build a better Kenya. Let us not allow
politicians to influence us to fulfill their selfish agendas, maintain the
PEACE.
Nehemiah
O
Kenya Police go to Hague over hacking
Two senior police officers are set to visit the International Criminal Court as part of investigations into serious claims of hacking of e-mail accounts of The Hague’s witnesses.
The hacking claim borders on serious breach of protection of witnesses who are believed to have provided information that led to confirmation of charges against four high-profile politicians, two among them aspiring to be Kenya’s fourth President.
The visit by the officers from Criminal Investigations Department’s headquarters follows the arrest of a Nairobi-based journalist over claims he hacked into the ICC website.
Mr Dennis Itumbi, a blogger, was arrested in Embu and detained at Kileleshwa Police Station over the weekend and is expected to appear in court this morning to face two charges of illegally accessing confidential, privileged and classified information and publishing it.
Officers handling the case said they want to prefer more charges against Itumbi and they are looking for more evidence over the same.
Hacking usually involves password theft, use of certain software to undermine the security of another’s protected data, or expert attack of user accounts.
"The officers want to prefer additional charges against the suspect at a later stage. They also want to know the motive of his activities and if he had any accomplices," revealed a senior officer close to the investigations.
It is understood that those planning to visit The Hague have secured an appointment with the Office of The Prosecutor and the Registrar of ICC as Kenya attempts to ensure witnesses are protected from threats.
Four Kenyans — Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, former Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and Kass FM journalist Joshua Sang — are waiting for ruling on one more appeal against being committed to full trial before they know their fate.
The investigation come as a team of lawyers hired by the State cautioned that the window for the Government to challenge admissibility of the Kenyan cases would close once the trial of the ‘Ocampo Four’ begins.
CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro remained guarded over information on the Itumbi matter but insisted that their investigations were proceeding well.
Source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/politics/InsidePage.php?id=2000054909&cid=4
The hacking claim borders on serious breach of protection of witnesses who are believed to have provided information that led to confirmation of charges against four high-profile politicians, two among them aspiring to be Kenya’s fourth President.
The visit by the officers from Criminal Investigations Department’s headquarters follows the arrest of a Nairobi-based journalist over claims he hacked into the ICC website.
Mr Dennis Itumbi, a blogger, was arrested in Embu and detained at Kileleshwa Police Station over the weekend and is expected to appear in court this morning to face two charges of illegally accessing confidential, privileged and classified information and publishing it.
Officers handling the case said they want to prefer more charges against Itumbi and they are looking for more evidence over the same.
Hacking usually involves password theft, use of certain software to undermine the security of another’s protected data, or expert attack of user accounts.
"The officers want to prefer additional charges against the suspect at a later stage. They also want to know the motive of his activities and if he had any accomplices," revealed a senior officer close to the investigations.
It is understood that those planning to visit The Hague have secured an appointment with the Office of The Prosecutor and the Registrar of ICC as Kenya attempts to ensure witnesses are protected from threats.
Four Kenyans — Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, former Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and Kass FM journalist Joshua Sang — are waiting for ruling on one more appeal against being committed to full trial before they know their fate.
The investigation come as a team of lawyers hired by the State cautioned that the window for the Government to challenge admissibility of the Kenyan cases would close once the trial of the ‘Ocampo Four’ begins.
CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro remained guarded over information on the Itumbi matter but insisted that their investigations were proceeding well.
Source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/politics/InsidePage.php?id=2000054909&cid=4
Thursday, March 22, 2012
kenyan youths
Fellow Kenyan
youths, I want to take this opportunity to remind you that we are the leaders
of tomorrow and the actions we take rights now will make or break our future aspirations
of a better country. It is a shame that politicians are taking advantage of the
young men and women who do not have jobs and are in financial strains to fulfill
their own selfish political gains.
During the 2007
general elections we all witnessed the way politicians utilized the mungiki gang
to cause havoc in the country that led to a lot of lives being lost, Children were
left orphaned, women lost their husbands and husbands lost their wives all
because of the actions of our selfish leaders.
At the moment we have leaders who rose to
power or were able to stay in power because they funded the mungiki movement,
it is a shame that only a few of them are facing the icc tribunal but truth be
said we all know that a lot of them should have been facing the tribunal also
its only that people are afraid to come out and speak because there may be severe
consequences
In 2013 general
elections let us not be afraid and let’s go vote out those leaders that we know
were involved with the mungiki, let us give justice to the families that lost
their loved ones and let’s give justice to Kenyans. Fellow youths let us not be
used by dirty politicians to join gangs or cause havoc, let’s all go vote for
leaders that we know will do Kenyans and the rest of the world good.
Nehemiah
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