On Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, the Missing Voices Coalition launched its 2023 Annual Report focused on the theme "End Police Impunity" at the Heinrich Boell Foundation, Nairobi Office.
On Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, the Missing Voices Coalition launched its 2023 Annual Report focused on the theme "End Police Impunity" at the Heinrich Boell Foundation, Nairobi Office.
This marks the fourth report and a significant achievement for the Coalition since its inception. The report highlighted several key developments related to discussions on police impunity in the country for the year 2023. One major highlight was the reduction in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances compared to the previous year. The report detailed a 9.2% decrease in extrajudicial killings, from 130 in 2022 to 118 in 2023, and a 54.5% decrease in enforced disappearances, from 22 in 2022 to 10 in 2023.
Despite these improvements, police impunity continued to disproportionately affect certain demographics, such as men, with 94% of victims being men in 2023. The report acknowledged MVC's efforts in monitoring, documenting, and advocating against these violations, which contributed to the decrease in such incidents. However, it emphasized that the central issue remains the violation of Kenyans' right to life, highlighting the ongoing struggle to end police impunity.
The report also discussed the release of the National Task Force on Police Reforms' report, which former Chief Justice David Maraga chaired. The Head of State received this report on November 16th, 2023, which reviewed the welfare and terms of service of the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, and National Youth Service, and addressed various constraints on their effective service delivery.
Additionally, the report noted Attorney General Justin Muturi's commitment to Kenya's potential ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). Muturi made this commitment during the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Nairobi, responding to activists' calls for such action. MVC has long advocated for ratification of this Convention, which could significantly aid in combating enforced disappearances.
The report also underscored the progress in holding police officers accountable, such as Ahmed Rashid, who faced charges for the murders of Jamal Mohamed and Mohamed Dahir Kheri. These developments, along with others discussed in the report, underscore the ongoing efforts to address and end police impunity in Kenya, building on past successes such as the Mavoko 3 case.
Missing Voices, is a coalition body comprising 15 civic society organisations, of which the Heinrich Boell Foundation, Nairobi, is part of. The coalition is driven by a profound mission: to end enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions in Kenya. The unwavering conviction that every life matters and that justice should prevail serves as our guide on this journey. Explore the core of our organization, our values, and the driving force behind our advocacy.