37 died in post-poll violence, report reveals

37 people, seven of them minors, were killed in the August 8 post-poll violence with majority of deaths happening in Nairobi, a report released by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights on Monday has revealed.

In the election report dubbed Mirage at Dusk, the commission notes that 35 out of the 37 people succumbed to excessive use of force by police officers.

“37 people were killed in various parts of the country, seven of the victims were minors including three girls and four boys with the youngest being a six-month-old baby. The other victims were youth and middle aged persons aged between 20 and 45 and except for two cases caused by civilians, the rest were allegedly because of use of excessive force by the police,” the report reads in part.

Incitement

During the launch of the report at Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi County, the KNCHR Chairperson, Kagwiria Mbogori, said that cases of incitement were rampant during the poll period.

“Kisumu County recording the highest number of incitement cases followed by Bomet and Garissa counties,” Mbogori said.

Similarly, the report also noted that State officials were actively involved in campaigns with a number of them using public resources which is in contravention of the Election Offences Act.

“There was also the issue of misuse of public resources, vehicles, buildings and active involvement of state officers in politics,” Ms Mbogori said.

The launch of the report follows violent protests that broke out shortly after Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, announced President Uhuru Kenyatta winner of the now nullified August 8 polls in perceived opposition strongholds.

The protests were fuelled by confrontation between demonstrators and the police.

The opposition has since called for nationwide demonstrations after issuing the electoral commission with a raft of demands it wants met before the repeat presidential election.

Among the demands the opposition wants met is the resignation of IEBC officials it accuses of ‘bungling’ the August 8 polls including CEO Ezra Chiloba.