90 Kenyans killed during electioneering period, KNCHR Report

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Anti-IEBC demonstrators flee after police lobe tear gas at them. PHOTO: COURTESY.

Nairobi, KENYA: Approximately 90 Kenyans lost their lives in election-related violence witnessed from 1st of September to October 2017.

This according to a report released by Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) on Wednesday in Nairobi.

According to KNCHR chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori, the deaths were as the result of police brutality as well as civilians’ attacks towards the security agencies using stones and assortment of other crude weapons.

“During this period, the commission documented 35 deaths resulting from post-poll violence covering the period 1st September to October 2017. 3 of the dead were minors, 2 were females the rest were males between the ages of 18 and 50 years approximately. All the victims except, for two, succumbed to gunshot wounds mainly to the head and chest. It, therefore, means that at the time of compiling this report, a total of 92 Kenyans had lost their lives in the election-related violence.” Said Mbogori.

The report also shows that during the same year, the commission recorded over 100 cases of injured persons who included children as young as 5yeras to youths and middle-aged civilians and a majority of the injuries again were as a result of gunshots and blunt objects.

The commission also documented 86 cases of sexual and gender-based violence SGBV in Nairobi City County alone and said it’s in a process of compiling a comprehensive account of all the cases of SGBV arising out of the electioneering period.

“The commission, in partnership with other actors will continue offering psycho-social supported to SGBV victims while at the same time seek to pursue justice for the victims through our courts.” She added.

They further call upon the police officers to arrest and promptly charge in courts of law any civilians who pelted stones and other crude missiles at the police or damaging vehicles and other equipment belonging to security officers.

The commission deployed a team of 540 monitors comprising of 131 staff,139 full-time observers and 270 short-term observers spread out in all the 47 counties to capture and collect information in relation to 1,227 form 34As and 229 form 34 Bs in areas where repeat presidential election took place.

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