Silverio Omari
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has refuted President William Ruto’s Sunday night claims that the state-funded rights watchdog provided misleading information to the public regarding a reported ‘massacre’ in Nairobi’s Githurai area.
On Tuesday, June 25, following a day of anti-Finance Bill protests, unconfirmed reports surfaced alleging that police and military forces were killing residents in the area late at night.
During a media roundtable at State House Nairobi on Sunday, Ruto was questioned about the number of people killed by police since the protests began. He maintained that the number was 19, while rights groups, including KNCHR, reported a higher count. Ruto accused the commission of falsely reporting that 20 people were killed in the Githurai ‘massacre.’
In response, KNCHR chairperson Roseline Odede issued a statement dismissing Ruto’s claims, asserting that the commission did not make such a statement.
“We, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, have not issued any statement on Githurai. We are still in the process of confirming the events in Githurai, Rongai, Migori, Nakuru, and other parts of the country,” Odede said.
According to Odede, the commission reported 22 deaths arising from the protests as of their last statement on Wednesday. She added that the commission has since confirmed 24 deaths since the protests began on June 18.
In its press statement on June 26, following reports of the killings in Githurai, KNCHR did not provide any figures on the alleged incident, contrary to President Ruto’s claims. Instead, it stated that it was investigating the allegations.
“The Commission witnessed with shock as police officers moved into residential areas of Githurai and Jinja on the evening of Tuesday, June 25, 2024, and were allegedly involved in the indiscriminate shooting of civilians. As a result, the Commission has received unverified reports of scores of residents killed by stray bullets. We will be investigating this to ensure accountability for these atrocities,” the rights body stated at the time.
Dj Vnyash
