Rights body wants Kenyan police to allow victims to protest over British atrocities

The rights body claims that the police are obstructing victims of gross human rights abuses allegedly carried out by the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) from expressing their constitutional right to assembly.

On October 30, 2023, victims from Laikipia and Samburu counties, were prevented from convening and addressing the media at a city hotel without any explanation for this unconstitutional act.

“We strongly condemn these despotic and unconstitutional acts by the police and wish to remind the government that Articles 33, 34, 36, and 37 of the Constitution of Kenya guarantee the freedom of expression, media, association, assembly, demonstration, picketing, and petition, respectively,” the rights group said.

KHRC went on to say that Kenya police have no right to deny the protestors their “fundamental, inalienable rights guaranteed by the constitution, which the police have no powers to limit arbitrarily."

“We demand that the Kenya Police allow all victims of human rights violations perpetrated by British colonial and post-colonial institutions to exercise their rights and freedoms of expression, media, association, assembly, demonstration, picketing, and petition without any intimidation and harassment," it stated.

Among the victims were the family of the late Agnes Wanjiru, whose gruesome murder in 2012 led her family to accuse British soldiers of involvement, as well as the widow of Linus Murangiri, who tragically lost his life during a fire incident linked to BATUK soldiers.

The protestors intended to air their grievances before the arrival of King Charles III in Kenya, who arrived in Kenya on October 31.

King Charles III's visit to Kenya entered its third day on November 2.

Rights groups have called on individuals and communities who have suffered severe human rights violations at the hands of British colonial and post-colonial institutions to come forward and share their grievances and demands.

“At the minimum, we still maintain that the King must issue a public apology and commit to adequate reparatory and compensatory measures for all the diverse groups of victims of the horrific atrocities."