U.S. and U.N. Call for Inquiry Into Activists’ Killings in Kenya

Meagan Flood
3/6/09
1:30pm

Two of Kenya’s most prominent human rights activists were shot dead Thursday while stuck in traffic in Nairobi. Oscar Kemau Kingara and John Paul Oulu were driving to a meeting when they got blocked in heavy traffic and were shot at close range by an unidentified assailant. Last month the two men met with a United Nations special rapporteur and gave a “testimony on the issue of police killings in Nairobi and Central Province”. Mr. Kingara founded and led the Oscar Foundation, which published a report called “Licensed to Kill: Extrajudicial Execution and Police Brutality in Kenya.” However, a governmental official issued a statement trying to link the Oscar Foundation to the illegal Mungiki sect, which is an organization that runs extortion rings across Kenya. This group is also known for its brutal grisly crimes, including beheadings its victims. It has also been reported that a former police drive was shot last year after telling human rights investigators that he has seen over 50 executions of witnesses by police officers. The UN and US have insisted on a independent investigation into the murder of these two men.

I feel the death of these two prominent human rights activists was government involved. With all of these reports it is very easy to say that the police officials in Nairobi are clearly corrupt. I feel like they want to eliminate anyone who gets in their way or starting trying to make public their illegal activity. After the two has met with the UN reported the article was then released in New York as well on Thursday. I think it is a good move for the UN and US to get involved and try to get to the bottom of this problem because it is clearly a big issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/world/africa/07kenya.html?_r=1&ref=world