More hostile environment for human rights activists

By Philip Mwakio

“The environment in which human rights defenders operate is becoming more and more hostile, limiting space for negotiations. Those who stand up for human rights continue to pay a high price for their courage.”

This quote aptly captures the daily work of one Francis Auma, 35. Auma or ‘Gamba’ as he is fondly referred to in the civil society arena, is a household name in activism at the Coast.

Police harassment

He has withstood police beatings, harassment and threats to his life to help bring to light unfair and unjust human sufferings.

Recently, he was part of the group that featured prominently during the Occupy Parliament protests in Nairobi.

In Mombasa, he has become the public face of protests against all forms of injustice including extra-judicial killings of terror suspects, land grabbing and has several criminal charges on his head.

While growing up in the densely populated Makupa estate, Auma came face-to-face with the grim reality when unknown assailants clobbered his father, Aloice Kizito Nyando Auma to death outside his house in 1989.

“The killers have remained unknown to date. We had to grow up under the care of our hardworking mother, Alice Osea,” he says.

Today, working at the Muslim for Human Rights (Muhuri) as head of the Rapid Response Unit, Auma has led demonstrations against the Lamu port, police brutality, suffering of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia and rampant land grabbing cases in and around Mombasa, among many others.

Rapid Response Programme

Auma’s designation is Programme officer for Muhuri’s Rapid Response Programme (RPP).

“Each day presents itself with different challenges that have all served to strengthen my resolve to work for the betterment of mankind,” he says.

However, his loving wife and two dotting daughters think otherwise.

“They (family) are always apprehensive. They are always in constant fear for my life,” he says.

Auma says the RPP has been on the forefront of fighting for justice at the Coast.

“This programme has been dealing with day-to-day human rights violations that have been brought to its attention. Members of the public have trusted the organisation to be at the forefront of championing their rights,” he said.

Complaints

Auma says every day, the organisation receives at least 15 different complaints of violations that need to be rapidly followed up.

“Indeed the RRP are certain that we cannot conclusively deal with all the issues that are reported as this can only be done by the State. The programme has put more emphasis on matters that are communal in nature,” Auma added.

 He describes Muhuri board chairman Munir Mazrui and Chief Executive officer Hussein Khalid as his role models and also admires South African politician Julius Malema who was expelled from the African National Congress for advocating for a land grab policy against minority whites.