Tag: Human Rights

Kenyan Youths Getting Their Hands Dirty In The Murky Political World

Babu Owino

By Nicholas Olambo

While they say politics is a dirty game, and the youths are the leaders of future, Kenya is now witnessing more and more young politicians stepping into the arena to clean the dirt in the game. Many have come and gone, and others made it others did not, a real leader is one who champions his policies and agreeing not to keep rehashing mistakes of the past and instead focus on the future without bootlicking the moneyed party chiefs.

Change won’t come from the top, and change will come from the mobilised grassroots, Obama said while launching his presidential ambitions. Obama who first attracted global attention in 2004 at the DNC in Philadelphia and rose to win the American presidency in 2008 with his ‘Yes we can’ slogan is inspiration enough to up and coming young politicians from humble backgrounds.

The election of President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 must have acted as the biggest push in a generational shift. I am seeing a crop of dedicated young men keeping on their track, rising and getting better with time. Mombasa is the den of many, Moses Aran who is the current Chairman of ODM Youth, and Mombasa County has steadily risen to his position after many years of community work and youth mobilisation. He is now sharing the same platform with the big men in political spheres, Cord leader Raila Odinga, Mombasa Governor Ali Joho and area Mp, Abdulswamad Nasir just to mention a few.

Moses Aran, Mombasa Youth Leader addressing a crowd

With a track record that speaks volumes, he cannot be belittled as a small time leader. Moses has headed projects that saw the shaping of musical talents of juveniles from Boarstal Academy, Shimo la Tewa Prisons, leading Tudor soccer team to represent the country in beach soccer tournament in Tanzania in 2014 and organising community clean-ups. Commonly known as Cvilizer Youth Commander 001, Moses has been the loudest voice of reason among the youth of Mombasa. Through Samba Foundation where he is the project director, his efforts have seen the implementation of projects that change and sustain lives of women and the youth. Recent polls ranked him the most influential young people in the county.

The trend is not in Mombasa alone; Nairobi too is seeing the same. Young people are gearing to be elected in top political positions in 2017 polls. TNA Chairman, Johnson Arthur Sakaja is a young man who burst into the national limelight with a powerful speech during the launch of The National Alliance (TNA) party in 2012. He began his foray into national politics while studying at the University of Nairobi in 2005 and later played a key role in the re-election of the retired president Mwai Kibaki. Now a household name, the nominated lawmaker has declared his interest in the Nairobi gubernatorial race.

Paul Owino Ongili, better by his moniker ‘Babu Owino’ than his real names is the young man in his late 20s with a whiff of scandals about him. Babu who is the current chairman of SONU is always in the news for one reason or the other, from controversial re- election, flashy lifestyle and to constant dates with the courts has said he is in the race for Embakasi East parliamentary seat. His political future seems bright with the kind of authority he commands among university students or comrades as he refers to them; he is in a place where many have successfully launched their political careers.

Steve Mbogo is another one, flashy and controversial with many questioning his wealth and education. In an article, a Daily Nation writer described him as nothing more than a crossbreed of a fake wannabe with a rudimentary grasp of English. The leader of Party of National Alliance (PONA) Party is aspiring to unseat President Uhuru Kenyatta just like Mohamed Abduba Dida.

August 22, 2016
Ladies And Gentlemen, We’re All Missing The Whole Point On Esther Passaris And James Mwangi Sex Scandal

Esther Passaris and Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi

When the story first broke out, I initially dismissed it as one of those usual Twitter rants but after noticing she wasn’t stopping, and the plot was thickening, I stopped for a minute to give the story a different and concentrated view. It’s not on a typical day that a woman will come out publicly to tell a sexual harassment story because of the traditional and sustained script from the public “You ate his money now you’re coming to tell us to do what? Or you’re only blackmailing him because he refused to give in to your demands.”

Faithful to the words, the same script has been unleashed on Esther Passaris the Adopt-A-Light CEO since she came out that the Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi on several occasions reigned sexual harassment on her. On the onset of Esther speaking out, Mwangi gained dozens of apologist and without second thoughts she was called a liar and all mannerisms of names. This was a shallow reaction, without looking deeper into the terms.

I then did my research to find out what exactly happened between Adopt-A-Light and Equity Bank Ltd, but that wouldn’t be the basis of this article. Kenya Insights is embedded on sticking to facts and not sideshows, in our subsequent articles we will go into depth and details of the contracts and the intrigues. Wait for it.

Back to the story at hand, sexual harassment isn’s something that happens in a day and especially in the case of Esther and Mwangi. These people struck a contractual business so they were partners and around each other most of the times. If indeed he did it once, he’d do it over and over even if she said no with hopes one day she’ll give in. But from the looks, Esther made the chase last longer than anticipated and it wasn’t going to be business as usual.

Many people are saying Esther should give evidence that the harassment happened and why she didn’t come out then and had to wait all that long to come out, in unanimous view, most Mwangi’s apologists are taking her move as a blackmailing move. The same would be asked of Equity Bank as to why they waited all that long to publicise the blackmailing by Esther as they’re doing it now.

From my reads on Esther’s updates and latest media interviews, she’s not dwelling much into the contract, but the core issue of sexual harassment and this is where I feel many people have been thrown off the cliff.

In communication strategies, to put off a fire, light another fire and that’s exactly what Equity quarter is evidently playing by not answering the matter of sexual harassment directly instead bringing in the intrigues of the contract and at worse bringing Esther’s past and dragging her family and affairs into this saga. Which I simply ask, what’s about sexual harassment, did it happen or not Mwangi? Prove this and save the contracts intrigues to courts.

Mwangi you have a matter to address an elephant issue for that matter that your daughters, wife, clan and entire Kenya won’t forget because you are trying to rubbish it off by dispensing sideshows. It might help you to cool down the heat for the moment, but the ghost will come haunting.

Women die in silence for the fear of public backlash and groundless slut shaming that Esther is currently facing, luckily for her she has grown a crocodile skin from her experience being a public figure so she says but what about that naive, young girl from the village harassed by her boss where sh’s working as house help for sexual favours.

How about that someone’s wife, daughter and sister stuck in a job group and given the ultimatum to open her legs or promotion chances closed. To me, Esther coming out is an important measure to unleash and uncover a big mess in the society. A trend of shoving ladies to a desperate and suicidal end of your success in life determined by how wide your legs open and not how wide your brains goes because the sex pests sit at the helm of control and unleash the sex terror on their female prey.

To me, this sex scandal is about undermining the women’s growth in the growing and competitive business world. Entrepreneurship is the new way to better livelihoods, if we minimise women’s upscaling by putting sex hurdles in that you either sleep with me or you’re not getting this contract or loan its pure non-sense.

If you have sisters, wife, daughters, you wouldn’t have sympathy for a potential rapist. It’s commendable for Esther to come out, it’s a bold, hard step that should tell off the powerful sex pests that they can’t continue using their positions to manipulate and strangle, women, retarding their growth.

The society is largely to blame, Esther who was the victim has been now turned to be the suspect and put on trial, the mind game and choreographed propaganda calling her a blackmailer has worked, This is just but an example why most women opt to die in silence and I the way the pests continue jumping from one victim to the next.
Just because Mwangi sponsored a million students and is wealthy, successfully doesn’t mean he can’t do what Esther is alleging and for God’ds sake that can’t is an excuse for sexually harassing her.

In signing off, the main and core issue here isn’t about the contract or what Esther is and was or done in the past but the sexual harassment allegations. Mwangi should respond and prove that he didn’t do it. Everything else besides this is Nollywood, Bollywood and Riverwood. Orchestration. Performance. Debris. Adjunct.

August 3, 2016
Esther Passaris Is Talking And The World Not Listening, Sexual Harassment Ordeal By Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi

The defiant Adopt-a-Light proprietor and the avid political figure has in the past days spent time explaining to the world the underdealings she had to undergo with celebrated Banker James Mwangi. Passaris has come out to reveal a sexual harassment reigned on her by the CEO who is yet to comment on the new developments.

The news has been received by mixed reaction with a good number of persons backlashing and accusing Esther of embarking on a blackmailing ploy against the Bank’s CEO. Whether this sexual harassment indeed happened or not is a matter of debate, and a judicial process would amicably square this. However, the fact that some people came out apologetic to the embattled CEO reveals the inner ogre of the society that don’t see anything wrong with a man making forceful sexual advances towards an unwilling woman.

Many women if you dug deeper are faced with similar cases from the corporate heads who feel with their helm of power that they can have their ways with anything and can sleep with anyone they wish. The sense of dominance in their evil minds show them they’re guaranteed to have their ways.

It’s not a secret that many ladies have been silently subjected to sexual harassments by their bosses and seniors but for the sake of job security and other business interests, they opt to keep silent for fear of severe repercussions. Remember these monsters have connections in high offices, have money to buy themselves out of justice. The corrupt state of the system makes it further baseless and waste of time even to report the matter. This why most ladies suffer in silence.

Raspberry from the society is yet another factor behind the silence treatment given to sexual harassment, the society is judgmental and will always find a way to exonerate the instigator and accuse the victim of feigning, In the case of Esther evil minded contributors have alluded that she’s lying and that there was no way she could turn down sexual advances in exchange for business favors from the CEO. Who said dignity is dead, where’s it written that women are there to be used as sex pets by the monied to have their ways, is sex the legal tender in the new society.

Here’s the story behind the sex scandal as narrated by Esther herself.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

This is the story of how Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi destroyed my business after ‪#‎ISaidNo‬. In 2006, I met Mwangi through a mutual friend and he soon agreed to bring his organisation on board the Adopt A Light project by sponsoring and running an advertising campaign for the bank on 400 streetlight poles as well as High Mast structures. In fact, this act of corporate social responsibility is captured in their company records.

The campaign was supposed to be rolled out on Thika Road and Outering Road among other locations. In anticipation of this business, Adopt A Light took a facility with Equity Bank and ordered the High Mast structures from our partners in South Africa. However, the whole project was thwarted before it could take off after Mwangi made several sexual advances towards me and I categorically turned him down. He was a friendly, listening and caring partner only as long as the chase was on. Later on through changes made to our contract after the fall-out, I realized he had all intentions not to honor our agreement in case I declined his advances.

THE AFTERMATH

It didn’t take long after Equity Bank breached our agreement for Adopt A Light to be left with a massive bill to pick up. Before the matter spilled into the courts, Equity Bank hired Neptune Credit, an unlicenced debt collector whose approach to debt collection was unprofessional and not what one would expect from a bank of Equity’s stature. This was also unlawful as banks need or seek court orders before contracting the services of a debt collector. Or if they appoint one, the collector must start with the courts before taking any action. The story of how Neptune Credit harassed me and my children is captured under OB 38 of 15/4/2009 at Parklands police station. But as is pretty much the norm in Kenya, the case was closed before it started.

Mwangi only went to court for alleged debt after I won the highly compromised award (after lots of applications to deny me justice ) to try and stop the award. In spite of an IRAC report on the interest overcharge and the irregular debits, Mwangi adamantly refused to reverse the same. Even his managers realised his motives were personal and not professional because it is standard for banks to reverse proven irregular debits. This prompted me to go back and demand that the Bank pays in full what it owed my business and I have every intention of pursuing damages for destroying my company and the ensuing psychological distress.

WHY I CAME OUT

It took a lot of soul searching for me to share my experience after reaching my tipping point. It is true that Mwangi is a brilliant and talented banker, looking at what he’s achieved with the Equity brand. However, he was highly unprofessional with me.

At the time, I informed Chairman Peter Munga ( as well as other senior managers) of the happenings but he couldn’t defend me as his hands were tied. Wherever Munga is right now, he knows the truth and I hope one day he’ll stand up for me. But even if he doesn’t, I know someone will eventually vindicate me.

The society must arise and protect it’s women from the evil sex pests in the society, think of the victim as your daughter, sister, or mother, would you argue the same in the favour of the accused? These things happen and in worst situations, ends up in rape. Sexual harassment isn’t excusable in whichever way. If Esther is lying, then Mwangi should ignite a libel proceeding if it’s true he should be packing ready for a jail term.

Society must make an environment easy for women to come out and expose the ogres hiding in holier than thou suits, and you protect them today and tomorrow it’s your daughter, mother or sister they’ll be harassed because after all, utado?

August 2, 2016
Koffi Olomide Sent To Jail For 18 Months Over Assaulting A Female Dancer At JKIA

Koffi Olomide when he was picked up from his home by police in Congo this morning

Embattled Koffi Olomide was arrested on Tuesday at his home in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to reports the singer was held shortly before being arraigned in court and charged with the assaulting . He was found guilty and sentenced to a year in jail.

This followed uproar from a video captured in Kenya’s main airport JKIA of the maestro raining in one of his Female dancers with kicks.

Olomide denied assaulting one of his dancers identified as Pamela. His lawyer George Wajackoyah
also accused Kenyan police of manhandling the musician during his deportation.

The singer apologised in a Facebook post on Monday, terming the incident a “moment of madness” but not after facing widespread condemnation and outrage since the video of the incident at JKIA was shared on social media.

The latest blow comes barely a day when his scheduled concert in Zambia was cancelled and Kenya government revoked his visa permanently.

Could this be the premature end to an era of the Lingala star. He will be out of freedom for the next year.

July 26, 2016
Beastiality: Grown People Paying Huge To Watch Teenagers Having Sex With Animals in Mombasa

The Coastal city of Mombasa remains one of the most preferred vacation destinations in Kenya. Dozens of activities taking place keep it one of the most engaged towns. Prostitution is one of those typical activities that can’t be overlooked in the region.

It goes without mentioning that the city is filled with people with different morals, and perverted minds thrive pretty much as well. Talking of perversion, there’s a soring trend of high appetite on the bestial material. According to word on the streets, teenagers aged between 8-17 are forced into having sex with animals on tape.

The bizarre act is recorded, and shockingly, the consumers are grown men and women who pay hugely as the subscription to watch the minors engage in the unnatural act.

The bestiality syndicate is extensive and thriving, and the teenagers are paid as little as Sh.200 to participate in sexual intimacy with animals in most cases dogs are their preferred choice. The young girls and boys are intoxicated with drugs before being put into action with the animals to satisfy the twisted fantasies of the perverted consumers.

As Kenya Insights found out, there are specific secret member clubs where these materials are distributed, and the perverts focalize to watch the young girls and boys engage in the act. Secret Whatsapp groups also do exist where the materials are distributed.

Mtwapa better known as Kenya’s Las Vegas is the headquarter of these evil actions and where the acts are committed. Poverty and illiteracy are large to blame for this. The teenagers are paid peanuts and intoxicated before subjection to the eccentric acts. This is not the first instance, and bestiality is a disturbing and yet a growing trend, a few years back a group of college girls and their contact were caught in the act filming themselves having sex with dogs and arrested over the outrageous act.

Perverts are paying big money to satisfy their fantasies while at the same time destroying the future and health of the young persons who’re blindly lured into the damaging business.

July 24, 2016
Kenya’s Peculiarity: Koffi Olomide Deported, Ruto’s Pilot Is Back In The Air #WhatAboutWenjie

DP Ruto’s Pilot, Mr Alistair Patrick Llewelyn assaulting a policewoman

For a better part of Friday, the internet went berserk following the surfacing of a coral video showing Congolese Lingala star Koffi Olumide reigning on one of his female dancers with kicks. The assaulting video grasped the internet, elicited anger with users unanimously calling for his arrest and immediate deportation.

The pressure was coming from all corners that the police has no option but to jump in. Koffi was arrested outside Citizen TV’S studios where he had attended an interview show. Later detained at JKIA police station where he spent the night. Olomide has since been deported from the country with double tragedy of permanent visa ban.

Kenyans have a peculiar habit of forgetting things as soon as they relegate from the trends. The impunity forces are aware and take advantage of the this. Earlier this year, DP Ruto’s Pilot, Mr Alistair Patrick Llewelyn was caught on tape assaulting a policewoman.

Expectedly, the video drew hostile reaction accompanied with #DeportRutoPilot, and he was taken to courts, and before we knew it, the chap was back in the skies with the same chopper under the same company.

DP Ruto’s Pilot, Mr Alistair Patrick Llewelyn(Middle) as seen back in action with him his client Lawyer Donal Kipkorir. Notice the registration of the chopper remains the same. (Pic Courtesy)

Kwale Island Development Limited, who run the helicopter 5Y-DSN, said they had terminated the services of Mr Llewelyn whom they had contracted, but they lied. Knowing nature of Kenyans, they duped us with PR statement that he was fired, bought time and sneaked him right back.

Olomide, as some have argued, didn’t survive not because Kenya has strict moral policies but because he didn’t have powerful connections in the government to cushion him. Wenjie Li a Chinese millionaire doing business in Kenya also a declared illegal immigrant by an office of the president is a good example. According to an expose done by Nyakundi, the illegal immigrant is receiving protection from aides to Interior CD Joseph Nkaiseery. The expose would later see the blogger getting police summon and arrest.

What’s so exceptional about Wenjie Li that he can’t be deported with the glaring facts that he’s in the country illegally. The culture of impunity is deeply rooted in the system, and you can nearly get away with anything as long as you have money and know people who know people. If we’re sincere in securing our borders and abiding by the law, then Wenjie Li and any other illegal immigrant should be bundled out of the country.

July 24, 2016
#NyakundiArrested: Dramatic Scene As Armed Officers Storm Blogger Nyakundi’s Home During Arrest

At around 2PM today, a group of 8 armed police officers rounded up Blogger Nyakundi’s car at a petrol station in Rongai. Occupants of the car, his friends were quickly whisked out to waiting car before heading to the bloggers home.

In what seems like a well premeditated scenario, the police led the rest to Nyakundi’s house. They must have collected tight intel prior. They stormed into his house ordered everyone inside to surrender. They unanimously tell me they were lightly assaulted with slaps. They say,the officers were armed and brandished their guns.

Nyakundi was immediately held and house ransacked, phones and laptops were confiscated by the police. They were dissatisfied as they missed another target, KinyanBoy, a writer who has been working close with Nyakundi on a number of impunity and corruption exposing topics. It’s still unknown why they wanted KinyanBoy arrested as well.

Nyakundi was bundled into the police car before they sped off to undisclosed location. They didn’t mention reason for arrest neither the station that they were taking him to. Officers eight in number, came in two vehicles, a standard Police land cruiser van and another car.

The blogger had been summoned to record a statement by the CID on an article he posted on his website claiming Interior CS’s officers has been helping a Chinese millionaire Wenjie Li, a once declared illegal immigrant by office of the president stay in Kenya illegally.

He also questioned DCI Muhoro’s links in extra judicial killings and land grabbing. In his ranting posts,the blogger threw blows on the DCI credibility.

As of the time of this blog, Nyakundi’s location where he’s being held is unknown. Friends who has gone to Muthaiga police station to check if he was booked in say they were turned away and two of their phones confiscated in the process.

July 18, 2016
The Wolves Of Umoja: How West African Sex Pests Are Abusing Nairobi Women

The obsession of Nairobi women to the Naija Men is only comparable to uncontrollable love for Ingokho amongst our Luhya brothers. The notion that the fellas from West are monied and romantic is just but that, a notion. Most of the times, it’s a fallacy, a wet dream

A distressed fan contacted Kenya Insights, a week ago to highlight her monstrosity ordeal she went through the hands of the Naija brodas. These ladies blinded with the fancy lifestyle and hunting instincts for money will go to towering heights just to win the fake it till you make it fellas.

There are Instagram-filtered pictures and then the Oga brodas, and it’s never what it seems like when the reality smacks you in the face. For confidentiality purposes, we shall call her Miss X, she frequents Hornbill, the famous club in Umoja estate, Eastlands part of Nairobi where skimpily dressed ladies flock with the hope of luring a ‘rich’ brother into their honey jar.

Wolves or Mafisi as it’s the referral in the streets, too put up their best acts, dressing, cologne, buying most expensive drinks and what have you. It’s a hunting ground for both species.

On this particular Friday night, Miss X had her lucky day or she thought so and thought to herself ‘I just hit a lotto’ or maybe Pambazuka jackpot, what’s with all these betting companies everywhere like mitumba? Back to the point.

Miss X was treated to the drinks of her choice, expected of ladies who drink Kibao with their friends behind scenes, eat githeri sukuma wiki at home but will swear they only eat pizza, chinekee! So Miss X doesn’t go for the obvious knickers dropper, Guarana, instead, single malt whisky. ‘No problem baby, you can order everything, in fact, you can even take di whole bar and drink it,moni isn’t di problem Nah ” I swear I could hear him say that miles away.

People who were strangers minutes ago were now turned decades lovers, getting high and high, they danced and ground each other as tight as the brake pads in a steeply ground. After the drinks, it’s home, fellas you know the drill right? So the newly met lovers leave the club and yes they’re not catching a cab but hiking on their ride.

Like a cow taken to the butchery, Miss X showered with honey manenoz slides herself into the car with his ‘investment’ going home to seal their contract. Unknown to her, the happy moments were over, and terror awaited her. “It was all good until we got to his house, I was shocked and terrified to death, in his house there were five other heavily built men, they were staying together, being the only woman I felt being in danger.” She narrates to Kenya Insights.

“This one is fine than that one last night broda, we’re gonna have a good evening,” said one of the five men. Contrary to her thoughts that she was only coming to be with the Prince Charming alone, it was a whole pack of wolves plotting to have a piece of her. She attempted to scream but was threatened. They ran a train on her, rather took turns raping her severally.

Numerous alike cases have been heard of, but many of these ladies are too ashamed to speak out instead they die with shame inside as the wolves continue to prowl on unsuspecting preys. They can’t even report to the police for the fear of slut shaming. Kenya Insights has established that this barbarous scheme has been in play for a time now and the most notorious instigators, the West Africa foreigners living in the semi-middle-class estates.

On to a ranting phase, it’s inexcusable and with strongest terms possible horrific and perverting acts by these swindlers must be doomed. Ladies need just to take a damn chill pill on this Oga brodas craze, just because one has Naija accent doesn’t replicate to his pockets depths. Most of these guys are shams, faking lifestyles, can’t even afford to pay Sh.20,000 rent so they group and stay in one house, ten people as if it’s a refugee camp.

None of these guys if not 1:10 isolated cases that they live one person in a house, they’re always in packs like PK. It’s known worldwide not just a theory that most of the Nigerian guys engage in fraudulent activities, and they come second in cyber crime after China. You know of the Yahoo boys, sending emails to preys how they have millions of dollars stashed wherever, play along and get conned.

Drugs. Most of them living in Kenya don’t have any formal job but always doing ‘business’, no sugarcoating, most and not all, do dirty business deals.

Many ladies have been duped into their drug selling syndicate, many Kenyan women with the thirst for quick cash have fallen to their traps, facilitating drug peddling, ending up in jail. Most recently a socialite by the name Pesh, who filled the internet with her bare humongous posterior pictures and stash of banknotes, flashy lifestyle, was arrested in Ghana and in jail for drugs trafficking. She was caught, she had been recruited in.

The immoral breed of celebrities so called socialites or glorified prostitutes as some call them are being financed by drugs money according to underworld sources, most of them deal with the syndicate either directly or indirectly. But all these besides the point, ladies put your house in order, Fort Jesus wasn’t built in a day.

Life’s about taking risks but don’t take too much risk in this line. Most of the West Africa guys living in Eastlands are plain broke, keep that in mind, and the rich ones are with their counterparts in Runda. They’re parasitic or romantic as you prefer to call them, will help you unstrap your bra when you get home even wash your lungs to have you at their mercy. The wolves of Umoja and Eastlands advances to their unending preys.

July 16, 2016
Kenyan Government Abandons Its Citizens in South Sudan, Embassy Unhelpful

Stranded Kenyans at a refugee camp in South Sudan

The freshly ignited war in South Sudan that has seen nearly 500 people dead under a week and hundreds of thousands displaced continue to wreak havoc. Despite President Kiir and his Deputy Machar calling for a ceasefire, the tension is still high in Africa’s youngest country and many live in fear.

Countries have put in place evacuation strategies for their citizens held up in the bullet ridden country. US, UK, China, France, Italy, India and other serious countries who mind the safety of their citizens have sent chartered planes to fly out their trapped citizens to safety. While those governments are doing what they’re rightfully meant to do, protect and ensure safety of its citizens in and out of the country, Kenyan government doesn’t seem to have been moved by the bloodbath taking place in its neighboring country.

Since the gunfight began and news of deaths started coming in as the situation worsened, social media have put heavy pressure on the foreign ministry and the Kenyan embassy in Sudan to issue a statement and its plan on ensuring safety of Kenyan citizens holed up in the warring country. They responded by giving out hotline numbers that should be used by Kenyans trapped in South Sudan to communicate with the embassy to ensure their safety. It would later turn out that the numbers were unreachable.

Kenyan citizens have been left in the cold, feeling betrayed by their own government who doesn’t seem to be doing much to rescue them from the bloody streets of South Sudan. I have been contacted by the association of Kenyans living in South Sudan to highlight on their plight and remain unamused by the flimsy efforts put by the government to save them.

“The embassy is unhelpful, they don’t even have an evacuation plan yet, all they’re saying is they can only facilitate issuance of passports and it ends there.” Says a furious Kenyan in South Sudan on her predicament. “While other countries are bringing in planes to evacuate their people, we’re left here on our own like we don’t have a government back home and we pay taxes. We are mad.” She adds.

Most of the trapped Kenyans have resorted to plot their own exit strategies with a huge number left with no option but to wait for the tension to go down. As at the time of publishing, Uganda had sent its army to go rescue its citizens from South Sudan via road and some Kenyans are hoping to hike a ride back home under the protection of the Ugandan army as that is their only remaining hope.

The Kenyan embassy is flocked with distressed citizens but there is little hope for relief. “Our hands are tied, there’s little we can do but were trying to organize something.” This has become the chorus in the embassy’s corridors. Just the other day, some truck drivers braved through the gunshots to try and come back home but were killed by the forces before they could cross the border.

Travelling back home by road is very risky and Kenyans in South Sudan are left living in full fear. It is not clear for how long our brothers and sisters have to suffer before the government can wake up and do what is expected of them- ensure the security of her citizens.

July 15, 2016
What Next After the Hashtags and Demos, We Must Appease the Spirits Of The Murdered

Protestors in Nairobi, chanting anti judicial killings slogans following murder of lawyer Willie Kimani

Lawyer Willie Kimani together with his client Josephat Mwedwa and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were laid to rest eventually on Saturday. Hundreds of mourners gathered to give the three heroic send off in their rural homes.

Leaders from different divisions; LSK, political, administration and civil society all had one common message, bring to an end extra judicial killings which claimed the lives of the three. The brutal murder of Willie and his company not only grabbed headlines of local media outlets but international spaces.

From Civil unions to international media terminals, the gory news caught the world in consternation even as US extrajudicial killings maimed the world. In a peculiarity mannerism, Kenyans have a tendency of forgetting things as soon as they relegate from the trending topics list.

Great scholars say insanity is the art of doing the same thing over and over and expecting to see a change. The cycle has been entirely predictable, extrajudicial executions by police are committed, in this case, a prominent case as the rest get shoved off, a public outrage sparked, the topic trends on all the key social and mainstream media platforms.

Anti Extra Judicial killings Protestors in Nairobi streets. (Photo: Getty)

Leaders drawn from across the board come out to reprobate the heinous acts, victims of brutality buried, and the hype goes with it as well. Life gets back to normal as soon as the graves are covered.

Loudmouthed MP, Moses Kuria knowing the distinctiveness of Kenyans, is on account calling for the assassination of CORD leader Raila. He went further to say, Raila’s supporters would riot for few weeks, the police would shoot dead a good number in the name of maintaining peace and before we know it, life would be back to normal.

Kuria wasn’t wrong, Kenyans have a slight recollection, we have knee-jerk reactions and forget at light speed. Now that Willie has been buried, and the calls for the stop to extrajudicial killings rented the air, where do we go next. From my point of view, we have at disposal several arbitrations to curb this menace that has steadily been robbing the country the best of its brains.

Western Financiers

The police force largely depends on foreign aid in financing their operations, US, UK, Sweden, France just to mention a few are some of the key financiers of the now killer branded force. The foreign powers gratify themselves in training, equipping and financing the force at large.

Unless the extra-judicial killings are part of their maiming agenda, the financing countries must use their powers at stake to push for the alignment of the police. Use veto powers to quash the lethal force to submission. I leave it at a comfortable point that UK, US, France and the rest have the rest to cut off, review or continue facilitating a clearly brutalising force. Their stand will and won’t be overlooked given the stakes they hold.

Police reforms

The new constitution came with the Independence Police Oversight Authority with the sole focus on streamlining the force and furnishing its face. However, the fruits are yet to materialise. Civil societies, political and interested party leaders must bury their faces in this course to ensure the transformation of the police from its perceived image to an acceptable one. Ethics, adherence to core values and respect for natural laws should be guiding lines in this agenda.

Lawyers carry the casket bearing the body of slain colleague Willie Kimani during his funeral service

A reformed police force, streamlined with discipline will go a long way in dealing with extrajudicial killings. According to reports, a reward of as little as Sh.2,000 an equivalent of $20 is given to officers who kill criminals. The unpropitious aspect here is, you’re either a perceived or real criminal. A disciplined, well-paid officer, will pause for a moment before pulling the trigger for a mere Sh.2,000.

Unfortunately, in Kenya, you stand a higher chance of raising your rank in the force given the number of criminals real or perceived that you’ve fallen. This lethal loophole is a motivational factor for rogue officers to pull the trigger continuously with the final thought of rising the tube.

Reforms should extend to the dismissal of all top security organs from Inspector General of the police, CID director all the way down in cleansing the police force. Boinnet, Muhoro and company, who have been overseeing the recent infinite illegal killings.

Disbanding the Killer unit

Brand Fire lawyer, Abdulahi Ahmednassir, recently pricked the inflated balloon exposing a relatively obvious fact that DCI’s led unit harbours the killer unit.

Dreaded Serious crimes prevention unit, flying squad under the unsmiling DCI Ndegwa Muhoro should have deeper scrutiny. Most illegal killings have been attributed to these units. Lawyers, leaders and all relevant bodies must lock in their focus in this space to ensure the ‘promotion to glory’ elements are disbanded as a measure in killing the unit and eventually the extra-judicial killings. Failure to this, the noises will reign and so will the unit, insanity.

Executive stand

When the prominent businessman Jacob was earlier in the year assassinated in what many points at the executives’ wing involvement and most recently, Willie’s murder, one thing has been common, the deafening silence from the executive.

Their silence can easily be read as a stamping signal to the extra-judicial killings. President Uhuru and Jubilee government, swore an oath to protect, uphold the constitution of Kenya and above all ensure the safety of all citizens.

DCI Muhoro, Head of Flying Squad John Kariuki when they appeared before the court

Throughout the fatal incidences, their voices are hardly audible, silence throwing many into the speculative mode. The leaders must come out of their shells to condemn these killings and Kenyans to take them into action. As top most organs in the hierarchy, they must be responsible and pull the relevant strings in dealing with this menace, and silence will only be read as an endorsement.

Tribunal Inquiries

Every time, a prominent execution takes place a tribunal is formed with negative results to show at the end. Devotion must be shown, and past enquiries reports should be made public as research basis and historical files preservation.

A general Tribune to discuss the bigger problem, extra-judicial killings, let’s look into the causes and come up with perfect solutions out, name and shame the rogue elements in the state involved in this.

As Kenyans head to the next general elections, all danger pausing aspects must be dealt with, and not a single angle left hanging given possible repercussions.

To appease the spirits of our brothers and sisters in history from JM, Mboya, Ouko, Wagalla to the Mavoko three and everyone else, who’ve been brutally murdered by hit squads, we must not relent on justice course. It must not be business as usual and wait for the poachers to pounce on their next catch for us to wake from the repose.

July 13, 2016
Safaricom’s Tendency of Withholding Crucial Mobile Data Obstructing Justice

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore

Kenya’s leading telecom, Safaricom is yet again on the receiving end for declining to avail crucial data that would help the investigators in Lawyer Willie Kimani’s murder probe. The Law Society of Kenya, faced with non-corporation and impediments from the telecommunication giant, has made an application at High Court to compel Safaricom to release information relevant to the investigations.

LSK had requested the company to give communication data from calls and text messages for Willie, Josephat and Joseph. In a quick rejoinder, Safaricom said that they are unable to retrieve text messages since they’re not stored me their database. This, as it sounds, a big lie, calls and messages including mobile money transfers records are stored in a database as a requirement.

Willie Kimani and company were kidnapped on the 23rd of June and allegedly held in a container (which has since been torched by unknown persons) inside Syokimau Police station. LSK requested for Safaricom to use forensic data analyses techniques to get all phone numbers that were active around the container between 12pm-4pm when it is believed the three were held inside the container.

This would be a significant breakthrough in identifying the numbers and registered details of people who held the murdered captives before taking them away for butchering. Calls that were going and incoming around the container where the three were being held could be a major opening.

Anti Extra Judicial killings Protestors in Nairobi streets. (Photo: Getty)

They were probably held at the spot shortly awaiting communication from someone or persons, and the call logs will determine the who and who. For the truth to be known entirely, Safaricom must, therefore, come out clean.

In justification, Safaricom is saying they risk losing their operations licence if they released such details to third parties, that’s the LSK. The information Safaricom is withholding could be used to nail the suspects further if the data could tie them to the location.

Also, communication details where JosephatMwendwa was always getting death threats together with Willie. Delaying to release this information is obstructing justice as Kenyans sweat day in to bring to an end the legion of extra-judicial killings.

Willie’s case is not isolation, and Safaricom is on record having refused to cooperate and release call logs for blogger Bogonko Bosire, who went missing years back and is yet to be traced up to now. During ICC cases, the prosecution too accused Safaricom of non-corporation and vehemently refusing to corporate with the court and release M-Pesa statements for President Uhuru, who was charged with being a financier to the Mungiki Sect.

Ironically, the telco says its contravention of policies to release such data to a third party, yet it’s public knowledge that at times they corporate with the police to use their database in trailing down criminals. In investigations, there’s no minor evidence, and every loophole is a big breakthrough. Safaricom should corporate with the courts and investigators principally on public interest cases like this of extrajudicial killings.

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July 7, 2016
OLAMBO: Kenya Has A Lot to Offer Than Poverty, Sick of Insincere Celebrities and Pseudo Humanitarians

Singer Madonna Ciccone (L) poses for a photograph with Kenyan First Lady Margaret Kenyatta as she receives a “Beyond Zero” campaign technical report at State House in Nairobi, Kenya, July 4, 2016

By Nickolas Olambo

Western media has always painted Africa as a battlefield, weak, corrupt, backwards and leaving so many people unaware that the nations in Africa have functioning governments, with modernised cities, schools, hospitals, normality, thriving businesses, intelligent and capable human beings. Rwanda, for example, has been reported as war tonne when it’s one of the top growing economies in Africa.

They report only negative stories which in fact are even in their home countries just to provide their celebrities with a cause to make more money despite their careers hitting ‘menopause’. It’s senseless to reduce Africa to a mere notion of good versus evil and create a suggestion that only outsiders carry the key to solutions.

Who benefits from these celebrity activists? One may ask and it’s clear these fame beings hire expensive PR experts to sell their convictions as Daniel Drezner would tell you in “When foreign policy goes glam”, engaging in humanitarian causes clearly benefits the Clooneys, Jolie’s and Damons of the world. It provides them with access to new outlets – political talk shows or international forums – and helps polish their personal brands.

Madonna, for instance, was in Kenya, Kibera slums over the weekend reportedly to see how she could improve the lives of the residents. She is also said to have been reduced to tears when she heard a man narrate how his five-year-old daughter was raped by the neighbour. Everybody knows Madonna has championed projects in Malawi to adopt babies in the end but similar PR stunts by Western celebrities such as crying, Salma Hayek breastfeeding a baby in Sierra Leone and Angelina Jolie travelling to Iraq is annoying.

These are lame PR stunts people are used to. In 2013 members of British Pop Group, One Direction was filmed with toddlers at a hospital in Ghana, the aim of such a clip is to encourage people to donate. And true to the stereotypes before it was aired, UK papers had released images of the group in tears sitting next to sick African kids. Africa is tired of these pictures, but celebrities don’t seem to realise.

Their PR experts are doing a good job, and they have realised that Kenya is a place to be, take photos and beg for mercy. This works well because the current regime is that which enjoys taking ‘selfies’ then count and smile about the many likes they get on social media. The over glorified ‘Beyond Zero Campaign’ by the first lady Margret Kenyatta is a great initiative, and no one can deny that.

Madonna should instead identify something else to tackle not expressing her ‘willingness’ to partner with Beyond Zero Initiative to redeem her diminishing fame and image.

This celebrity adopter is full of controversies not good for Beyond Zero. It has been alleged that the children she adopted from Malawi are not orphans, sidestepping the right procedure to complete the adoption process and using her status and wealth on authorities.

Not long ago she also caused controversy when she posted a picture of her ‘white son’ Rocco and captioned it with the N word. She did that despite having two adopted black children. Apologies or no apologies, that was reckless and casting doubts if she will add any value to ‘Beyond Zero Campaign’.

There are so many good projects that in fact can’t meet their goals due to insufficient funding. Beyond Zero is not one of them so what would Madonna be there for? In fact, her pledge to work with the First Lady’s initiative comes only a few days after Melinda Gates, the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation expressed similar interest to partner with the Beyond Zero initiative, to ensure access to quality health for Kenyan women and children.

To quote Journalist Andrew Mwenda ‘all too often, these campaigns are not about the welfare of the people they claim to be helping but act as a platform for celebrities to promote their brand to their audiences at home by exhibiting their humanity’. Madonna’s ‘Beyond Zero campaign photos’ are all over social media when she also visited Maasai Mara, why not post those pictures too for the world to see?

Most Western celebrities travel to Africa with twisted schemes other than what they publicly drive. Some are genuine in their courses but majority insincere. They rush to give ‘aid’ to ‘dying’ Africa to gain humanitarianism points and for their fans to see them as saviours or sort of. It’s all about improving their ratings and getting new Hollywood characters or awards and shoot up their sales.

Now thanks to Madonna half of the world now have a rough idea of how Kenya looks like, dirty with open running sewage. All these because of the selective pictures she flooded on her social media pages of Kibera slums, a micro fraction of Kenya to billions of her fans all over the world.

Akon with president Uhuru when he paid him a visit at Statehouse

Another celebrity whose project can only be heard in Kenya but not seen is Akon. The singer has turned into ‘a state house rat’; you can bump into him anywhere within the premises any day. His Akon Lighting Africa Project has nothing to show in the region when he is busy taking selfies with the head of state just to appear to be doing something yet he failed to turn up for shows when he was in his prime citing fake tickets and rogue promoters as his reasons. Africa has work to do, and its position should not be used to seek sympathy.

There’re more beauty and natural resources that Kenya holds than dirty pictures from Kibera, and we don’t disown that Slum is an issue, even New York, World’s top city is faced with this menace. If you’re genuine in highlighting African accounts, give the world a 3D view, don’t show the shadow and keep off the light side. Kenya or Africa is not and shouldn’t be a space for career flopping celebrities to rush in to salvage their dwindling ratings. Africa has more to offer than Poverty stricken pictures.

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July 6, 2016
How Western Countries Including Israel Contribute to Kenya’s Killer Squad and Extra Judicial Killings

Visiting Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu inks his signature in Statehouse

Anti-extra-judicial killings demonstrations were staged in most parts of the country on Monday following the gruesome murder of lawyer Willie Kimani alongside his client and a taxi driver. The three bodies were found floating at Oldonyo Sabuk river where they had been dumped.

The three are suspected to have been kidnapped by police officers before being tortured and eventually brutally murdered. Willie was working with IJM and IPOA with the primary focus being on police brutality cases.

The latest killings have rattled the country and incited the wrath of the majority of the civil society and law society together with leaders from across the board. The killings have been widely condemned, and calls for the disbandment of the killer squad by the state suspected to be behind extrajudicial killings have been renewed across the country.

Kimani’s murder comes only two months after businessman Jacob Juma was fell by mysterious gunmen along Ngong Road. The state-owned hit squad has been widely blamed for the assassination. As of now, three administration police officers are being held over the killings of the lawyer while the Public Prosecution Office is expected to open a public tribunal that will look into the murder of Jacob Juma. Director of Criminal Investigations had written to the DPP to open public tribunal after their initial investigations failed to bear fruits. The piling cases of extrajudicial killings hence elicited maximum condemnation.

The blood-stained Mercedes-Benz where Jacob Juma was shot dead. Police hit squad has been blamed for the murder

According to reports, as of 2015, over 500 extra judicial killings had been executed by the police. A 12-member hit squad nicknamed the Kwekwe Squad drawn from the elite forces, is allegedly constituted with one aim; eliminating elements that the state deems as troublesome. Kwekwe squad was highly blamed for the killings targeting Mungiki members, and most human rights bodies put the number of killings in this operation at a triple digit.

A good number of Muslim clerics and followers suspected of being linked to Al-Shabaab have also been fell by unknown assailants. The killings have been blamed on the hit squad, a claim that the government has been denying.

Leading to his death, Abubakar Shariff Ahmed aka Makaburi in series of interviews with Western media predicted his death. In one instance, he told UK’s Daily Mail that he was living on borrowed time, and his killing was a forgone conclusion. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he singled out the Anti-Terrorism Unit as the ones who’d execute him. In April 2014 Makaburi was shot dead by hitmen on a motorcycle while leaving Shanzu Law Courts where he had attended his terrorism charge mentions.

In April 2014 Makaburi was shot dead by hitmen on a motorcycle while leaving Shanzu Law Courts where he had attended his terrorism charge mentions.

How did Kenya establish such a lethal terror squad?

A hit squad member remains anonymous in an interview with Al Jazeera opening up on the extra judicial killings

Aljazeera, in an investigative documentary, unearthed the existence of Kenya’s killer squad. The international outlet exclusively managed to talk to members of the lethal squad and conducted anonymous interviews with them.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, the four men – all members of Kenyan intelligence and special police units – said they had all been involved in the assassination of terror suspects, with one claiming to have killed more than 50. ‘We don’t arrest,’ a gunman from the Radiation Unit of the Kenyan General Service Unit’s (GSU) elite Recce Company told the Al Jazeera Investigative Unit.

The gunman appeared in the programme ‘Inside Kenya’s Death Squads’ alongside a commando from Recce Company, a member of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) and a spy for the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS).

According to Al Jazeera, all of the officers play an integral part in Kenya’s counter-terrorism strategy and all have had a hand in assassinating suspects.

Kenyan police have assassinated nearly 500 terrorism suspects in the context of an extrajudicial killing program supported by intelligence provided by Israel and the United Kingdom, Al Jazeera investigation revealed.

Slain Cleric, Makaburi in an heated interview with UK’s Daily Mail reporter Paul Bentley

According to the officers who talked to Al Jazeera, Israel and the U.K. provide training, equipment and intelligence to Kenyan officers on how to “eliminate” suspects targeted by Kenyan security forces.

Both Israel and the U.K. denied involvement. The U.K. Foreign Office added that it had “raised concerns” with the Kenyan government over such “serious allegations.”

The police killings, according to the ATPU officer speaking to Al Jazeera, are ordered by Kenya’s National Security Council and run into hundreds every year. “Day in, day out, you hear of eliminating suspects,” the officer said. “Since I was employed, I’ve killed over 50. I do become proud because I’ve eliminated some problems,” said another officer.

Kenyan police put the lifeless body of slain Muslim cleric Abubakar Shariff Ahmed into the back of a police pickup truck on a highway in Mombasa, Kenya, Tuesday, April 1, 2014. Attorney Mbugua Mureithi, attorney for radical Islamic leader Abubakar Shariff Ahmed, who had been sanctioned by the United States and the United Nations for supporting the al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group al-Shabab, said his client has been assassinated Tuesday along with another man whose identity has not yet been established, near the Shimo la Tewa prison in Mombasa, Kenya. (AP Photo)

The ATPU officers contend that Kenya’s weak judicial system forced them to resort to assassinations, as police have failed to produce strong enough evidence to prosecute terrorism suspects.

“If the law cannot work, there’s another option … eliminate him,” an officer explained.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and National Security Council members denied the allegations.

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July 5, 2016
AKINYI: New Breed of Commercial Activism a Threat To Human Rights in Kenya

Police Spokesman found himself engulfed in the protesting anti judicial killings crowd, splashed with the bloody paint

By Bel Akinyi

Hypocrisy levels in my country Kenya has hit an all-time high, we have a group of special Kenyans dooming one sin and turning a blind eye on the other. It’s unfortunate that Kenya lost a gleaming mind, Willie Kimani who was more than a lawyer but a resolute advocate of human rights with the primary interest on police brutality.

In the rise of the fatal event, conniving, opportunistic, commercial, insincere activists rose from their graves to organise mother of demos countrywide to demonstrate against extra-judicial killings.

While the demos are justified and the agenda of condemning state-owned hit squad rightful, the sincerity and honesty of these money motivated bloggers is nauseating to be least.

Extra-judicial killings, for those of you history students dates back to 1963 during Kenyatta regime. Elimination was used by politicians to square scores. Moi came with unlawful detentions and extra-judicial killings as well to deal with critics.

Muslim Imams have been eliminated in what Al Jazeera and many other outlets attributes to a counter-terrorism strategy by the State. At the far North of the country, young men have been going missing only to turn up dead. Children left orphaned, mothers childless and wives widowed. This hasn’t caused enough commotion and caught the ‘activists’ attention as it has this time.

Most recently, Jacob Juma, a prominent businessman, was assassinated in what is now clear was work of the special hit squad, the now fuming, shouting their lungs out activists did nothing other than making few tweets cover up eyes.

The message sent, simple, it wasn’t okay killing Juma, and it wasn’t wrong either. What a bunch of hypocrites.
During anti-IEBC protests police brutality was caught on camera, in Nyanza police were using live bullets, estimated ten people were killed by the police, a five-year-old kid was shot by police. All these didn’t spark a protest, as usual, few tweets condemning the brutality by police.

The loud silence by these activists who’re more plastic than butt implants sent a clear message, some lives don’t matter.

On the death of Willie Kimani and the other two persons, has caused a never witnessed uproar. Civil Society and Law Society have at last woken up from slumber to realise, the killer police don’t discriminate, anyone is a target.

Protestors in Nairobi streets. (Photo: Getty)

A friend is telling me, the protests are funded by an embassy. Money is said to be a key motivation behind this latest demo. Bluff of activism.

It’s unfortunate that this debate had to come while we’re genuinely mourning the death of a human rights fighter and his two counterparts but the sickening hypocrisy needs to stop.

If you’re going to be a damn activist, then you should treat all. Equally, the only reward should come from God. Most of the great defenders in history died poor but left the rich legacy, from MLK to Malcolm X to Steve Biko even Mandela.

While families are shedding tears, briefcase, motivated cash activists are rushing to the foreign envoys in Kenya with proposals for funding, laughing all the way to the bank. Extra-judicial killings must be halted, the backstops with President Uhuru, who swore the oath to protect lives of all Kenyans. Man up and disband this terror unit.

To the scavenging activists, milking dry cows continue with your evil acts, and time will catch up, and history will judge you by your footprints. Hypocrisy is one of them.

I have deliberately left out names since this will cross with many, and if you are reading this and you’re one of them, you just got served con, now wait for another Kenyan to be killed to add something to your bank account. Rascals.

By Bel Akinyi is a Political Science student at Melbourne University, Australia.
Twitter: @BelAkinyii

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July 5, 2016
Kenya Joins Other Authoritarian Regimes in Switching off the Internet vote, UN Furious

There has been telltale of the government gagging the internet citing security issues. Most recently, the system has hinted at a possible stiff Internet regulation policies ahead of the 2017 elections.

With internet accessibility in the country continuing to skyrocket and many rely on the web for information, the growing number of users, regulating content is a nearly impossible task.

NCIC has warned that social media is the new platform in which hatemongers propagate tribal hatred and are seeking ways in which to regulate social media use. Initially, oppressive article 19 was used to muzzle voices, but it has since been overruled as being unconstitutional. The government is determined to regulate the internet, and all the signs are in the air.

The move by Kenya in joining other dictatorial regimes in the bid to have the government be a key player in regulating the Internet use is causing fear for the future as Kenya heads to 2017 elections. In Uganda, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ally Yoweri Museveni shut down the internet and messaging services as the country held their general elections.

The authoritarian president claimed an open internet was a threat to national security during the period.
The United Nations officially condemned the practice of countries shutting down access to the internet at a meeting of the Human Rights Council on Friday.

A resolution entitled The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet extends human rights held offline to the web. Consensus passed it, but only after a determined effort by some countries, including China and Russia, to pull out key parts of the text.

In particular, some states – notably by their authoritarian stances – were opposed to the resolution’s focus on the need for an accessible and open internet, and its condemnation of violations against people for expressing their views online. A vote planned for Thursday was delayed until Friday after the issue became heated.

Protesters fighting for freedom of speech

Some were surprised by the 13 other countries that lined up with Russia and China to delete the text on ensuring access to the internet. Among such authoritarian regimes as Saudi Arabia and Qatar were also democracies including India and South Africa.

Likewise on a second amendment to remove references to freedom of expression. Russia and China were joined by 15 other countries including India, Kenya and South Africa.

“We are disappointed that democracies like South Africa, Indonesia, and India voted in favour of these hostile amendments to weaken protections for freedom of expression online,” said Thomas Hughes, the executive director of Article 19, a charity focused on protecting free speech. He added: “The resolution is a much-needed response to increased pressure on freedom of expression online in all parts of the world.”

Resolutions

That person has the same rights online as offline, “in particular freedom of speech, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice.”

Those human rights violations enacted against people due to making their views known online are “condemned unequivocally,” and states are held accountable for any such violations.

Any measures to “intentionally prevent or disrupt access” to the internet are also “condemned unequivocally,” and all states should “refrain from and cease such actions.”

In effect, that means that the expanding use of Internet shutdowns by governments claiming national security issues or even, in the case of Iraq, to prevent exam cheating, will now go against formal UN policy.

If all these signs have anything to go by then freedom of expression and access to information on a population that consumes heavily from the internet, Kenyans should look ahead for business unusual in coming days, weeks, months and years.

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July 4, 2016
Murdered Lawyer Was To Release Damaging Information on Police Brutality

Willie sharing a moment with his son

Following days of the relentless search for the missing lawyer Willie Kimani, his client and a taxi driver, our worst fears were confirmed when their bodies were found decomposing in Oldonyo Sabuk river.

Lawyer Willie Kimani and his client Josephat Mwendwa had filed a complaint alleging that Mwendwa had been shot and injured by police in April. Mwendwa was then charged with a range of offences, including possessing drugs, gambling in public and resisting arrest, Human Rights activists said.

The two went missing along with Joseph Muiruri, a driver who picked them up after a court hearing on June 23.
The 32-year-old lawyer Willie Kimani was admitted to the bar in 2011 in his five-year tenure as an advocate of the High Court; he specialised in human rights organisations and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA).

Josephat Mwendwa, Willie’s client

Police brutality in Kenya has continued to heighten with the oversight body receiving heaps of complaints from the public on rogue police. As an investigator, according to his colleague speaking to Kenya Insights, Willie had a lot of dirt on rogue cops and was set to release information that would put senior officers, including the one implicated in his fatal end, in deep trouble.

Another complainant contacted K.I lamenting on inaction and treachery at IPOA, he claims some of the officials are easily compromised and would sell out those who lodged complaints against any brutal police officer.

Willie remained a pain in the neck and a stumbling block for most rogue cops, and he couldn’t be compromised. His daring will and dedication towards fighting for human rights and enthusiasm against police brutality put him in trouble and a target for the brutal police force. He was an investigator at International Justice Mission (IJM) for one and a half years before joining IPOA, where he majored in investigations on police brutality and sexual violence against children.

Joseph Muiruri, the taxi driver

The 32-year-old started his career as an intern at Release Political Prisoners, now the Rights Promotion and Protection Center and later took up the position of a legal officer. He was also a board member.

His passion for fighting for the protection of victims of torture and extrajudicial killings drew him to the Independent Medico Legal Unit before he joined IPOA.

His murder now brings to light the elite killer squad that many agree are in the police force. Extra-judicial killings have taken the toll in the near past with the latest victim being businessman Jacob Juma whose shooting was attributed to the killer squad too.

Lawyers and Civil Society have both joined hands in the wake of Willie’s murder and are now not only calling for the disbandment of the killing unit but also the dismissal of top police leadership from the Inspector General Joseph Boinnet and Criminal Investigations Director, Muhoro to the Interior Security CS.

Increasing extra-judicial killings have also rattled the foreign envoys who’ve jointly issued a stark warning to the government to look into the matter which is now getting out of hand.

IG Joseph Boinnet identified the cops being held over the murders as Fredrick Leliman, Stephen Chebulet and Silvia Wanjiku.

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July 4, 2016
Why Journalist Yassin Juma and His Family Went Into Hiding Immediately After Jacob Juma’s Assassination

On the 5th day of May, vocal businessman and new age anti-corruption crusader Jacob Juma was fell in the spray of bullets. The incidence shocked the country, one person who had all the prints and fingers pointing at over the heartless murder was the state. From CORD leader Odinga to friends, the killing was attributed to a lethal police hit squad.

As Kenyans were grasping with the news, one person who thought he was next in line from his intelligence sources or basic instincts, went into hiding. Freelance journalist, Yassin Juma on getting the news of Juma’s death amassed his family, and both went into hiding. He cringed for his life.

Yassin was in January arrested for ostensibly posting classified information on the number of KDF soldiers that were killed in the El Added attack by the Al Shabaab militia group. According to Intel that Juma got, a total of 103 soldiers died in the massacre. He went ahead and posted on his blog, shells of the destroyed KDF armory that were released by the militia’s propaganda unit.

Publishing of this ‘sensitive’ information angered the authority principally Interior Ministry led by CS Nkaiserry. He was later picked up from his house in Nairobi’s Donholm estate. 16 CID officers effected the arrest in what looked like a terror suspect apprehension.

He was accused of posting photos of dead soldiers on his blog, claims he say were being peddled by PSCU based on hearsay. He would remain locked up at Muthaiga police as police embarked on investigations that would yield no fruit, they didn’t find the said photos on his site.

Yassin Juma was a victim of the prohibitive law that has since been disbanded- section 29 of the Information and Communication Act, which prohibits the “improper use of a licensed communications system”. Interior CS Nkaissery warned that anyone publishing any information on the attack without KDF approval is a sympathizer of Al Shabaab and would be treated as one.

After fruitless attempts to have him locked up, Juma would later be released and just before his eyes would pass away, another scheme to have him locked up was in the offing. On leaving the cells, he posed for a picture with his friends outside the police station flashing a one finger salute.

The photos were quickly used in an endeavor of linking him to terror group leaders who often flash similar one finger salute, an attempt to make him look like one of them. Juma said the index finger signified his reliance to one God.

Juma attributes his woes to Mwenda Njoka, Dennis Itumbi (directors at PSCU, who have since been fired) and CS Nkaissery. He believes they are hell bent to see him go behind bars or worse still dead. Juma is a freelance journalist with the specific interest in war documentaries that he distributes to international publications. A course that has seen him travel to Somalia frequently.

He’s also a darling of the KDF troops who bring him on the warfront to cover the war on Al Shabaab. His movements and information sources in Somalia have been a headache to those behind his arrest.

The journalist has dismissed reports that he’s hiding in Somalia insisting he and family are in Kenya to stay despite the death threats. “Yes I have received death threats (including my family members) in the past, and it still continues to date from people who think I am prior to sensitive information that should not be relayed to the public or people who perceive to be more patriotic more than you and me. Yes I’ve been trailed, and my phone calls tapped, but I will continue to do what I do right here in Kenya.” Said Yassin.

He contends he’s in Kenya to stay and will not run away to any country to seek refuge. The defiant journalist is sending a message to his enemies, “to be born by luck but death is definite, I fear the Creator, not the Creations, if my day to die come it will and will be an honor to die a Shaheed if they( in ref to those baying for his blood)decide to kill me.”

In conclusion, Juma firmly say he’s in Kenya to stay and those grumpy by his work which he conducts with set ethics standards, “must be prepared to put up with me, this country is for us all, just because I am a Muslim, doesn’t make me subordinate of a Kenyan.” Declares Juma.

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July 1, 2016
ARCHIVES: Did Dennis Itumbi Engage in ICC Witnesses Interference

Director of Digital communication Mr.Dennis Itumbi

Following the New York Times article that the Statehouse fiercely criticised for painting the President in the wrong image by linking him to Mungiki network that led to the Post election massacre, Itumbi has not been left out.

The Government’s Digital Strategist has threatened to sue the international publication for naming him in the article in a bad light. In the item, Dennis was mentioned as having been part of a network that ICC prosecution accused of interfering with witnesses.

In the collapse of all the six cases, the prosecution argued their investigations and evidence collection was dealt a blow with massive witnesses’ interference.

Most witnesses recanted testimonies either from intimidation, bribery and some disappeared mysteriously while some died in unexplained circumstances, this is according to the ICC prosecution.

In his defence to New York Times, Itumbi argues he was given a clean bill of health by the ICC over witnesses’ interference, and the prosecution accused and filed for his arrest for the same offence but he was exonerated. In the onset of the circus, Itumbi was alleged to have hacked the ICC portal and gained entry into the witnesses’ database and used the obtained information to coordinate witness interferences.

President Uhuru and his Deputy Ruto were amongst the six suspects accused of orchestrating the 2007/8 Post Elections Violence that left nearly 2000 people dead and hundreds of thousands persons displaced.

In a research conducted by Kenya Insights online, we managed to retrieve some posts made by Itumbi that dates back to 2011 when he allegedly revealed identities of witnesses publicly contrary to international standards of witness protection and right to remain anonymous.

Meshack Yebei was found dead under unclear circumstances, Prosecution said he was a crucial witness

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June 28, 2016
FLY 540 At It Again, Throws Out Passenger With DISABILITY

Fly 540 crew gets aboard the plane

Fly 540 Aviation Company yet again finds itself in the wrong spotlight following discrimination claims by a physically handicapped client. Mr Muhib Noorani, the proprietor of Rocky Driving School, is the latest victim of a worrying trend of disdain for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) by the airline. Mr Muhib says that the airline’s staff in Eldoret denied him access to the aircraft because of his physical condition.

“I booked Fly 540 as I had been told there was no other flight. I checked in at 6.35pm, but they wouldn’t let me aboard. They didn’t give any explanation for the refusal. I was asked to look for other means to get to my destination and let the other passengers behind me check in,” he narrated in an emotional testimony.

“This is the first time I’ve been made aware of my disability. I had to speak out so that other citizens in a similar condition don’t have to go through such trauma. Disability is not inability, and we didn’t choose to be this way.”

Unpleasant history

This is not the first time a complaint has been lodged against the low-cost aircraft. A few months ago, another PwD- a paediatrician at Nyeri Provincial Hospital, complained of a ‘dark-skinned, very tall and intimidating’ Fly 540 pilot who had kicked her out of the aircraft claiming that she was going to delay everyone.

Dr Agnes Mithamo said that the pilot wouldn’t even let some volunteers help her up the stairs of the plane. “The pilot told me that he had the powers to decide whether I was going to use the aircraft or not. He ordered the men who had volunteered to help me aboard to take me back to the lounge. It was humiliating.”

In 2014, Bishop Jackson Kosgei, the current chairperson of Kenya Film Classification Board and father to musician Emmy Kosgei, was forced to crawl his way out of the aircraft after the staff blatantly refused to help him disembark.

The chairperson of Kenya Disability Parliamentary Association (KEPIDA), nominated MP Isaac Mwaura, has condemned such incidences and said that they will call for sterner actions such as suspension of the airline’s license since even parliamentary summons has failed to tame the practice. “We cannot allow systemic discrimination of Kenyans with disabilities,” Mr Mwaura has warned.

A Fly 450 response to a client on Facebook stating their policies on persons with disability

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June 26, 2016
Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi Arrested Under Unclear Circumstances

Today Friday the 24th of June controversial blogger Cyprian Nyakundi was arrested at Galleria by 12 CID officers for unclear reasons.

The blogger has a case in court against Safaricom Limited CEO BOB COLLYMORE. According to what we know, Nyakundi was tracked using a friend’s phone and automatic car number plate detector electronic system along the way.

Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi

Nyakundi was going to Galleria Shopping Mall and at the gate while taking a parking ticket he was called by someone nearby ”Sasa Nyakundi?” and he thought it was one of his followers but to his surprise, 12 CID Officers pounced on him and arrested him.

They took his MacBook and an iPhone 6, adding to the list of his gadgets being held without clear reasons at different Police Stations.

His friend was also intimidated by the officers.

June 24, 2016