VOLUME I NUMSER 3 jucy august september 1999 1 / All ON 40. ' jj: 4• J'd? cI • . b' l •• ' i)i • L' • IN / Li F' I' Ik• U KENYA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Quarterly HUMAN RIGHTS Report Volume I Number 3 Kenya Human Bights Commission 1000 Board of Directors \ lakan NItittia, (hau Njeri Kabcbcri, Jue- Cijair \laiiia Kiai 1ickna Kithinji \Jaiiiiii \Iazrui \IvarnIa I\ivasarii \Villy \ lut iliga, L'veculite I)ireclor Programs Co-ordinator Brigit Moraa \'sanibui Kin sat Iii Accountant Monitoring and Research Juliet Kituvi '\jugulsa Iutahi Administration Staff sIutun1a Ruteere James Cathoga 1'sa Kiiru hlaxiniilla \Vckcsa Nkk Ndungi \'incetit \lusebe Advocacy Repher Aniisdo ()(iessda I.un1uI11)a 1)anicl Nvakuncli \\sfuIa Buke Intern Mugambi Kiai Niaria Blakensiciner Human Rights Education and Outreach Janies Nduko Jaiic i'huo ©KHRC. 1999 ISBN 9966-911-02-9 Kenya 1 luinasi Rights (Snisinission 1)0 Box 41079. Nairobi. Kenya Tel: (251-2) 571999/8 Fax: (254-2) 574997 E-mail: khrcJ,africaonlinc.co.ke \(I) v\v\v.ltIi.ca/par(ucrs/klII( All pii,tN of this publication niav be tepiocluceci frce1; provided the Kenya ilusnan Rights (:oriiiissioii is diii', ac kliowie(lgcd. l>ri istcd in Kenya Photographs courtesy of I)mly \alum & Last :1 /i WOO 5iaiu/aid Corer I'ho/o,'rap/i: Re.ci(/e,,Ls /.t Ia//sure liii, \thobi th'nwmlnztiug ai,isl !he rabhing of/heir Iasu/ MISSION STATEMENT Ihe Kenya I lunian Rights (ommission (K.ii RC) is i non-governmental In('ml)('rsliip organization founded in 1992. It has an obscrvei' status wili the Africaui ( ; OIiuiliiSsiOii on Human and People's Rights. K! IRC is the 1998 winner or the MS Iuitcruiatiouial Award, bestowed in Denmark. he mission ol the Commission is to j)romote, protect and enhance the enjoyment of the human rights of Kenvans. It does this through monitoring, research and docuineiilation of human rights violations. It organism's activist events and undertakes l)ul)hic awiu'cness canipaigns on human rights. RI I R( is ('olnmnit te(l to mainsireamning ,qenclei' in all its progminines and initiatives. RH RC is comniiltccl to the realization of' human rights ideals in Kenya b' strengthening the human rights uuiovcmn('mit. KHRC Stil)l)Ot5 social. j)Olitical, cconomi(', iii(i ('uiltuii'al change ainied at enhianciuig respect for time i'uile or law, the development of a society that upholds democratic values, a society aware of ' its m'ights and conies to their defi'imsc whenever threatened or attacked, STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES l\H R( strategic oh)jcCti\'CS are to: • Reduce human rights violations in Kenya • Strengthen the human rights movement in Kenya • 1--bId state, instinuions and individuals accountable for human rights violations • Raise awareness of' human rights in Kcn\'a • Place Kenya on it tm'ulv democratic trajectory Kenya Human Rights Commission • KHRC Valley Arcade, Gitanga Road P0 Box 41079, Nairobi KENYA Cunteots Preface . Acknowledgements .............................................................. ii Table of Violation (Statistics) ............................................... iii Violation of the Right to Life (Graph) ..................................... iv Glossary of Terms, Abbreviations and Acronyms ..................... v I. Violations of the Right to Life .............................................. 1 \. Lxtra-judicial hx((utiolls ..................................................................... B . 1)eaths from lorture .............................................................................. 5 C . Mob \iolcnce ...................................................................................... 9 I). Violence against \Vomeii ................................................................... I 2 E. \iolence Against Chikiren ................................................................. 1 5 FBanclitrv ............................................................................................... 1 7 C;. I'he 1)eath Penalty ............................................................................. 18 14. Prison C:onditions .............................................................................. 1 9 II. Police Brutality and Arbitrary Arrests .............................. 23 M. Civil Rights and Liberties .............................................. 26 A. Fcedoin of S1c11 and Freedom of the Press .................................. 26 R. Inde1)cndence of the judiciary ........................................................... 29 C. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association ................................ 3 1 D. (;o\crlmlent iI1t(d('YeI1ce ith N(;Os ............................................... 33 IV. Economic and Social Rights ............................................. 34 Land Grabbing ................................................................................... 34 (:oIItLI - tioIi .......................................................................................... 37 l-larassment of the Poor ..................................................................... 39 1). \Vorkers rights ...................................................................................... 10 Taking Charge ................................................................... 42 .\ 1011tldtl]) of ifl(liVi(IUaI afl(! gtfluj) ifli(iati\CS in cIcii aili ig, dc ft nd and pro in ,1 ii ig tlict r dgh ts Acknowledgements This report was written by Kenya Human Rights Commission program staff. It was coordinated by Njuguna Mutahi and edited by Wambui Kimathi. The publication of this report was made possible by funding from DANIDA. How- ever, it does not necessarily reflect their views. IR11'A('[ \'eii' igo. the Keiivi I lutitait Rights Coiniiiissiou questiotied vhicilier the itiuchi tatii)lC(l ('OilStitlitiOn i'eli)i'ni l)i'OC('Ss \V()ul(1 ad(lrcss the saiiciit ISSUeS ii tat ('( >11- liiilie lo curtail the eiijoviiicill oHililliall rights in Ketiva. With the curietit stale- iiiate jil the proccss, tue (ol11l11i5siOi1 is COII\'iiice(l that the j)rotago)Ilists who iflclude l)01it1('iuIlS from both Si(leS of tile j)oliti('al (li\'i(iC (10) not shai'e the sante ('OiICCI'ilS oil (lie slate of lItiithlii rights in the country. AS the politicians c()ntiilue to vacillate, govei'iliiiehit agelits coiiliillie to abuse liiiiiiaii i'iglits with ii]lj)uiiit\': 1.xtra-ju(IiCial execuit 10115 Since Jaiuiai'v 1999, 187 people have i)eeil killed by Iav Lnfoi'eeiiiciit ( )f'ficiais in olif ici'eiit cii'cuimslances. \Viiile tile ilIaJol'itV of the Viclilils have been fl)I)l)el'v and cai' jacking suspects. sonic I iave l)eeil iilil()ceIlt \'iCti!ils of I)OIi('e iiiisiise of , firc aims and of' authority. 1)uii'iitg the last (Iuiai't(i' JliIV-Sei)teifll)el'- the KI I RC i'eo'oi'oleol (ii (leatfis fi'otii eXti'a-jti(licull exectitioiis. The police have coiisisteiitiv argued that they kill in the i)i'0(' 55 of )i'oiCciii1g lives and l)i'O!)eFtY. This is iiol aIvavs so. Iii sonic cases, a little 1)11 of ('atitioli, professioi iahisiil ai iol ('OlIlillOil SCI1SC \V0U1(1 Ilave saved fives. I oi't iii' e Iii the thlii'(l (luarter of' 1999, toi'tuire has reillaiiie(l as one iilost i'epulsive on- siauiglit oil the right to liii. Most 1)eol)k arrcsicd for any reason arc at a very senouts risk of l)eiilg toi'iuire(l. at tithes fatally l)v investigation ageilcies. ihie iliethi- 0(ls used are grilesolile and iJlcoiiSisteilt vitli keiivaii and iiiteriiatioi'ial law. Be- t\vecil JlilV-Sej)tCI)1I)el'. the Kil R( recor(le(i 29 cases (Ii (lchil)erate tortui'e by l)OhicC officers. Iweive of' these iiicideiits le( I to ) (leathls. Mol) \'iOleiice hhiei'e has l)(i) a I1)ai'keoi oleclitic in tIle IltIinl)er of' people killed in 1110!) \'io- leil('e iil('i(leilts. In the lust quarter. 82 deathis vei'e i'ecoi'(lC(l. The figtii'e de- cliile(l in the secoi101 (Iitai'teI' to 49 and t) 26 (leathis het\veen Juiie and Sei)iein - her. \\ hiile this ti'cii(l is eilCOtii'agiilg, it still Lina('('cl)tal)le that the general public \'ieWs 11)01) violclicc as an altei'iiati''e to the jui(licial svsteiii. This not only encouir- ages lawlessness ailol tltci'eh rc geilei'al iilsccui'i(\', 1)111 also dcilie(l the suspects the i'igl it to ) be heai'(l. \iolence against women In the tilir(1 quartcrof die veal'. KI I RU (locuiillcnte(l a total of' 21 deaths i'esuihting fi-orn various kifl(IS of violeiicc against voincii; a 23 pCi cciii increase li nii ti IC prC\ius (Iliarter. ( )ver the same pern )(l, there were !)) (li )ctilI iciite(l cases of VOIllCl1 \VhI() suflere(l acts of sexual violence, a 37 lwr ceiit increase from ti IC sCcoII(l (luaI'tcrs. BCsi(ICS tue V1OICOCC tlicv stiffer l)ecausc ol the SCX, \VOil ieii are also \mctiiils of liarinhil cultural practicCs like Female Genital imitilation (FG\1). Ihiotigh its diflRiIht to iiiiitoi. F(;\I is eVi(lCIIt that the j)ractiCC is Of iiphiell in some parts of Kenya. 'l'l us is uiiainlv so in parts of Rifi \alfev, Eastern aild \Vestern prov- inces.. IlK' ('Oi1SC(l1iei1e5 that l(; I illlf)O5eS Elf )O11 these leiiiale yictiiiis are 1)0th several and severe, and are Cxf)eiieilCC(l 1)0111 iii tile short and long-term. Prison (OiI(litiOIiS Rep( )rts lr( no prisons contimiuc to ni(licate that they are invaluably overciovded, iinhivgieiiic and uinsanitary and l)asicahlV tiiifit for iiuiiiati llal)italion. The ('ondi- tions iilvalulal)lV lea(l to vi(l( -si)rca(l (hscascs aiii)iig prisoilers an(l deaths. I low- ever, the prison del)altnlent has ref t ise(l to ( )peil hf) the facilities to iiidcpemideiit orgaitisations thlerCI)v l)hocking inlornialion 1)11 exact fatalities froiiu the ptihlic.