Kware murders: Families want DNA results released

(Center) Executive Director of HAKI Africa Hussein Khalid accompanied by families of Kware Killings and Voices of Community Activists and leaders of Africa when they called out on the state for frustrating the retrieving of bodies from the Kware dumpsite at Mukuru kwa Njenga on August 30, 2024. [Kanyiri Wahito Standard] The families of Kenyans murdered and dumped in the Kware dumpsite have called for resumption of the retrieval of bodies in the wasteyard. Together with civil society organisations in the justice sector, they also called for release of DNA results. They lamented that nearly two and a half months is a long wait, hence denying affected families the opportunity to bury their loved ones. Further, they want the government to explain the escape of the Kware murders main suspect, Collins Jumaisi. Jumaisi, together with 12 other Eritreans escaped at Gigiri Police Station two weeks ago. In July, at least 17 bodies were retrieved from the Kware dumpsite that is located in Mukuru Kwa Njenga slum in Embakasi South Constituency, Nairobi County. Jumaisi, who admitted to having killed 42 women, was arrested a few days later. "We, the concerned citizens of Kenya stand in solidarity with the people of Mukuru Kwa Njenga in Nairobi, as we demand for justice for the heinous killings that have taken place in this community," said Anami Toure, co-chair, Mukuru Community Justice Centre(MCJC). They were addressing the media at Mukuru Level Four Hospital on Friday. Toure added: "The recent wave of violence, coupled with the disturbing manner in which investigations have been handled, leave us with grave concerns about the intentions and actions of the state." "As we mourn with the victims' families, we also raise our voices to demand truth, accountability and justice," said Toure. The press briefing came on the day the world is marking International Day in Support of Victims of Enforced Disappearances. They said the retrieval exercise at the dumpsite, which was stopped, was appalling since only 17 body parts were retrieved. "This raises critical questions. Why have the police suspended the retrieving of bodies when there are still many unaccounted for? What are they trying to hide by stalling this process? The families of the victims deserve closure, and the public deserve to know the full extent of these crimes, " he added. They said the inconsistency in the police's actions and statements suggests a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth and demand the resumption of retrieval so that full accounting of the decrease is provided to the public. On the escape of Jumaisi, they wondered if he was indeed the main suspect, and why the police allowed him to escape. "This escape is not only a failure of the security apparatus but also a grave injustice to the victims and their families," said Immaculate Murioki, secretary MCJC. She also said the escape of Jumaisi has instilled fear among families of victims and women and young girls in the slum who cannot now walk freely at night, not knowing if they are safe or not since they feel vulnerable. VOCAL Africa chief executive officer Hussein Khalid said they cannot overlook the timing and manner in which the Kware killings have been handled, including botched investigations and escape of Jumaisi. He blamed the State for diverting attention on the killing of Gen Zs who were protesting against the Finance Bill, 2024. "It is becoming increasingly evident that the Kware killings may have been used a tool by the state to divert the attention of Kenyans from the Gen Z protests. The protests have been a powerful expression of the frustrations of our youth, and it is deeply troubling to think that the State may be using such horrific events to shift the focus away from these legitimate grievances," said Khalid. He said VOCAL Africa together with concerned citizens and organisations on September 4, visit Office of the President to present a comprehensive list of those that have been killed and disappeared since the onset of Gen Z protests including Kware victims. Vocal Africa also condemned harassment and threats to those who were involved in retrieval of bodies and families of victims and MCJC from doing its work. He said police in the recent past have been threatening people of Mukuru especially the youth who helped in retrieving bodies in the quarry, forcing some to hide. "They have been summoning some, threatening to arrest a few and in other situations, wanting to know their whereabouts. They have also made attempts to intimidate MCJC from doing its demanding to know who funds them or how they operate," said Khalid. He added: "We view the above as attempts to silence people and force them to remain silent. We demand that the threats and intimidations cease with immediate effect. Kenyans later no longer afraid of police or the State. We shall nor relent until the truth is unearthed and justice is done to the victims and their families." Joseph Waweru, who retrieved some of the bodies, said: "Families of victims have been reaching to us to continue with retrieving but we cannot do that due to threats through unknown phone calls and arrests yet there are possibilities of more bodies in the dumpsite since even what we retrieved are just body parts meaning there are more. Some have been forced to go under."

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