Discovery of mutilated bodies in Nairobi: Investigation and public anger Summary of Events:
Kenyan police searched a rubbish dump in a Nairobi slum on Saturday, watched by an angry crowd, after finding several mutilated bodies dumped in plastic bags.
Kenya’s police watchdog said it was investigating possible police involvement in the gruesome discovery in the Mukuru district, south of the capital, on Friday.
Police said on Friday that the badly mutilated bodies of six women, stuffed in plastic bags, had been found in polluted waters of an abandoned quarry, sparking shock and outrage among residents.
The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) later said the remains of at least nine people had been recovered, including seven women.
Survey Details:
“The bodies, wrapped in bags and tied with nylon ropes, bore visible marks of torture and mutilation,” IPOA said, noting that the dump site was less than 100 metres from a police station.
The IPOA is also investigating allegations of abductions of protesters who went missing after deadly anti-government demonstrations.
Kenyan media reported on Saturday that more bags containing human remains had been recovered from the Mukuru site, but there has been no official confirmation.
Citizen TV reported that police fired into the air as tensions rose, but this could not immediately be verified.
Rise in Disappearances:
Kenya’s police, often accused of extrajudicial killings and other abuses, rarely see their members convicted.
“The discovery comes amid a worrying surge in mysterious disappearances and kidnappings, particularly following recent protests against the finance bill,” a coalition of civil society and human rights groups said in a statement.
“This horrific incident is a matter of mass mortality, it represents a serious violation of human rights and raises serious concerns about the rule of law and security in our country.”
Law enforcement agencies in Kenya are already under intense scrutiny after dozens of people were killed during protests last month, with rights groups accusing officers of using excessive force.
National police chief Japhet Koome, the target of much public anger over deaths during protests, resigned on Friday after less than two years in the job.
Political and Social Crisis:
He is the latest to lose his job as President William Ruto tries to contain the worst crisis of his reign, triggered by widely unpopular tax hike proposals.
Crowds gathered at the dump site on Friday chanted “Ruto must go,” the slogan of Generation Z Kenyans leading the protests that have now morphed into a broader campaign against the government, corruption and alleged police brutality.
“IPOA is independently conducting preliminary investigations to determine whether there was police involvement in the deaths or a failure to prevent them,” the agency said.
In a separate statement, IPOA also called on the public to assist it in its investigations into reports of kidnappings, illegal arrests and disappearances during the anti-government protests.
However, she did not make any connection between these missing people and the bodies found, with some Internet users describing them as victims of femicide.
The Criminal Investigation Department said initial investigations suggested all the victims were killed in the same manner, without giving further details. It said the bodies had been taken to the morgue for post-mortem examinations.
Lack of Responsibility:
The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions also expressed concern about possible rights violations, noting the proximity of the bodies to a police station.
He asked the police to submit the results of their investigation within 21 days and also urged state agencies, including the IPOA, to expedite their investigations into reports of alleged kidnappings and killings by the police.
Rights groups often accuse Kenyan police of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings, with officers rarely brought to justice.
They also allegedly led death squads targeting people such as rights activists and lawyers investigating alleged police abuses.
The Kenyan parliament established the IPOA in 2011 to provide civilian oversight of a powerful institution that is also known to be among the most corrupt in the country.
The police chief’s resignation followed Ruto’s announcement on Thursday that he was sacking almost the entire cabinet and planning to form a “broad government”, his latest move to try to appease Generation Z activists.
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