Mzalendo Wanjira is a woman Human Rights Defender from Mathare, Nairobi County. She is a firm believer in an egalitarian society, equal rights and justice for all. She believes that society should be a safe space for women, children and the poor young men. 

The same way human rights are inalienable to all human beings, so should social justice and dignified lives. She is a 3rd year student at the University of Nairobi, studying international relations and diplomacy and also trying her hand at entrepreneurship. 

Her peregrination in activism started 6 years ago when Mathare Social Justice Centre (MSJC) was being formed. She got a space that helped her make peace with the murder of her elder brother, Damason Irungu who was executed by Pangani police station officers. The members of Mathare Social Justice Centre gave her hope and made her realize that there was someone who cared and wanted to stop the criminalization and butcheries of youths by the bullet in Mathare and other peri-urban areas in Kenya. In her own words she said that it was the normalization of killings by the police that bothered her.

Together with community members, Mzalendo Wanjira started MSJC to  challenge the narrative of killing young men in Mathare. They  documented cases with precision to challenge mainstream media narratives about the murder of young men from Mathare. 

As they documented cases, they met families experiencing the same fate, and decided to start a network of mothers who have lost their sons to the police, and women who had lost their husbands to the bullet, and thus, Mothers of Victims and Survivors Network was born. At MSJC, they realized the interconnectedness of several social issues and started different campaigns. The Maji ni Haki, Maji ni Uhai campaign, Campaign against GBV, ecological justice campaign – which also plants memorial trees for all victims of extrajudicial killings, campaign to end extrajudicial executions which she was mainly involved in. She also enjoys mentoring young kids at Matigari kids book club. Currently, Wanjira is involved in the formulation of a campaign to sensitize community members on the rights of persons with disability in her community and beyond. 

Despite the numerous success, Wanjira has had downfall including constantly worrying about her safety and security post the 2020 SabaSabaMarchForOurLives Protest. Government security agencies constantly surveilled her due to her role in the success of the protest. She also struggles with organizing with minimal resources including funds and human resource to support her advocacy work to end extrajudicial executions (EJEs). She also faces character lynching by the community for advocating agains the killing of petty offenders as she believes that the right to life is absolute. She overcomes these challenges by continuously self-cultivating and educating with other activists that advance freedom and social justice rights.

Her inspiration is drawn from her community, the movement and her younger brother David. The thought of seeing the young men she has seen grow shot dead by police makes her shudder. Seeing many other young people in their own little ways fighting for the same ideals, for the right to life and social justice seriously inspires her and gives her hope for a better nation tomorrow.

Wanjira tells of actions that she has spearheaded to publicly denounce EJEs including the murder of a 60 year old Vaite and killing of Yassin Moyo in 2020. She continues to connect the murders of these two with other global phenomena such as Black Lives Matter that was associated with the endless killing of balck people in the United States e.g George Flyod.  was murdered in the US and people were so concerned about EJEs in Kenya.. She hopes the statement she made during the 2020 SabaSabaMarchForOurLives Protest -‘When we lose our fear, they lose their power,’ will continue to inspire generations of human rights defenders time and time again.

Receiving the award will mean alot to her as an individual and a grassroots human rights defender. It will also serve as an inspiration to fellow comrades in the social justice movement. It will make a huge difference in her work especially in properly setting up the Matigari Library in the community, a step of growth from the Matigari kids book club.