30 Aug 2019
Nairobi,Kenya

DEFENDERS COALITION CONDEMNS THE ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND KILLING OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER, ESTHER MWIKALI WAMBUA

The United Nations declared 30th August as the day that would be observed globally as International Day for Victims of Enforced Disappearances to raise awareness that enforced disappearance is a crime, should not be used as a tool to deal with conflict and as reminder about the victims and the impact that the disappearance have on the families and communities.

Sadly, the killing of Land Rights Activist Esther Mwikali (57) whose body was discovered on Tuesday 27 August 2019 dumped in a farm near her homestead, other human rights defenders and escalating extra-judicial killings is a reminder that this crime is routinely practiced in Kenya with impunity.

As we mark the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders – Kenya (Defenders Coalition) calls on relevant state agencies, more so the National Police Service and Office of Public Prosecutor to bring to an end the culture of enforced disappearances and extra- judicial killing that has creeped into regular policing and settling scores by non-state actors.

Enforced disappearances is a tactic used to subjugate people and put communities in fear and involves kidnapping individuals who speak out against oppression and other injustices. Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) in Kenya have been regular target of enforced disappearance, torture and other traumatising experience which has culminated into deaths. In February 2019 human rights defender Caroline Mwatha of Dandora Justice Centre was disappeared and later found dead. Some arrests were made and individuals charged. Human rights lawyer Willie Kimani together with his client Josephat Mwendwa and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were disappeared before their bodies were found dumped at Oldonyo Sabuk in June 2016.

Defenders Coalition strongly condemns the disappearance on Monday, 26th August 2019 and eventual killing of Esther Mwikali. The search party comprising of human rights defenders and local people from Murang’a county found her dead in a thicket. Her eyes had been gouged out and sticks inserted into her private parts. She was killed alongside another individual.

Mwikali was a renowned land rights human rights defender from Mithini, Makuyu, Murang’a County who led other community members to defend their ancestral land from being evicted from a piece of land that was claimed by local tycoons in the area.

Like other HRDs families, Esther and her family were subjected to threats from unknown people as a result of her work. Her community members who are squatters in the area have also been subjected to these threats.

NCHRD-K thus calls on:

1. The Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions to expedite the investigations of the brutal torture and killing of human rights defender Esther Mwikali and ensure those culpable face the full force of They must assure Kenyans through demonstrable action against the killers of Esther that the right to life is sacrosanct irrespective of social status in Kenya
2. The Director of Criminal Investigations and other relevant agencies to investigate on ownership of the contested land, threats to the leaders and members of the community to avert another killing and also assure the community of their
3. The National Land Commission to investigate and give a report on the ownership of land to manage conflict and ongoing violent evictions conducted by private individuals with
4. The Government of Kenya to bring an end to criminalization of individuals and groups in society that defend human rights, the constitution and rule of law in Kenya.

For more information or to arrange for interviews contact |Francis Ndegwa| francis@hrdcoalition.org|    0721443397    |    Communications    Officer    at    NCHRD-K| www.defenderscoalition.org|