The Orange Democratic Movement Party (ODM) wishes to state the following with regard to the brutal murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and driver Joseph Muiruri:
1. The ODM condemns in the strongest terms possible this incomprehensible act of impunity and demand that action be taken to bring the perpetrators to book. While the party is aware some people have been arrested, we hope this is not another ploy to placate the public. We demand real justice be done.
2. The ODM stands with the families of the victims of this horror and join them in calling for the government of the day to do what governments are formed to do – protect and ensure the security and safety of citizens.
3. The ODM wishes to inform the public that this is not an isolated incident of extra-judicial killing in Kenya. From 2009, the country has witnessed systematic and well planned executions of kenyan citizens without the benefit of due process of the law. Whatever the justifications have been, the ODM has all along believed only a credible judiciary can resolve conflicts among citizens and between citizens and the state.
4. The ODM wishes to inform the public that it believes there is a death squad within the national police which is being used to settle both political and economic scores. This is our understanding of the unresolved death of Mr. Jacob Juma. This is illegal and must end immediately.
5. The ODM wishes to draw the attention of the Public that since 2007/08 post-election violence; the justification for killing and enforcing disappearances of Kenyans was due to the ICC cases. Some of these Kenyans were believed to be witnesses at the ICC. However, with the collapse of the cases, it appears those who were used to intimidate, abduct and kill witnesses have found new assignments: to terrorize and kill Kenyans.
6. The ODM is convinced the police is not interested in bringing to justice these killers. For the foregoing; the ODM believes the police are culpable in most of the murders. We are not surprised that Mr. Josephat Mwenda, in seeking justice, ended up being a victim of injustice. This is what we’ve been referring to as ‘THE RETURN OF THE DARK PAST”.
7. The ODM takes great exception at the silence of the top Jubilee leadership; particularly the President; on the ongoing murders. Kenyans need an assurance that they are not on their own. Only those who currently hold the instrument of power can give that assurance. These are the rare instances when the President needs to address the nation. We have a national crisis; it is time the President declares extra-judicial killings a national disaster.
8. The ODM demands action on all acts of police brutality. In Ghana, a police officer who shot a university student during demos in 2014 has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. In Kenya, we have witnessed instances where police clobber students and citizens without action being taken. In Kisumu, police shot a five year old boy. No action has been taken against the officer. It is these unresolved incidences of police brutality that lead to such horrific murders as happened to advocate willie Kimani, his client and the taxi driver.
9. The ODM calls for immediate resignation of Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett, Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro and Cabinet Secretary in charge Gen. Joseph Nkaissery. In societies where citizens hold public officers accountable; these officials would have resigned voluntarily.
Finally, the ODM assures all our supporters and the Public that it will continue to hold the Jubilee government to be accountable to the citizens. Despite the environment of fear that JUbilee is attempting to create, the ODM will never let down Kenyan citizens by looking the other way. We reject extra-judicial killings.
Ends…
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