Haki Africa investigates deaths and grave human right violations of street families in Eldoret
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By Hubzmedia Reporter
The Haki Africa a Pan-African human rights organization based in Mombasa, has commenced investigations into the mysterious deaths and gross human right violations of street connected youth in Eldoret in the recent past.
In an Interview with Journalists in Eldoret,Haki Africa rapid response officer Fredrick Odhiambo Ojiro, said following a distress call on the human rights violation in Eldoret, The Human right organization has established in its preliminary report that a number of street children have died in connection to the recent skirmishes between Uasin Gishu County askaris, the National Police , traders and the street families,
“We have identified so far that due to the skirmishes that occurred in Eldoret last week Thursday, a number of street families have been killed in an operation that involved county enforcement officers and the National police, we have also identified that a majority were maimed in the operation and many are being held at a social hall within Eldoret and they are in need of urgent medical attention ,”Said Ojiro
The Rapid response officer who met with Eldoret based Human Right organizations and victims of torture both from traders and the street families also faulted the County government over ethnic discrimination,
“The vetting of traders at the Champions market as we have established could be targeted at discriminating other traders at the market on ethnic basis we are keen to follow up on the process, “Noted the Human Rights officer.
The Haki Africa organization has also demanded an investigation by the Internal affairs unit and the IPOA into the conduct of police officers involved in the joint operation that led to grave human right violations
“We have written to the Internal Affairs Unit of the Police and IPOA to commence investigations against officers involved in the Joint security operation that has left several street connected youth dead and many more seriously maimed, “Noted the Officer
The organization will also be recommending creation of a body or the extension of the IPOA mandate into investigating county askaris across the country ,many performing their duties without oversight hence committing serious atrocities against citizens,
“We are pushing for a legislation that will see to it that county enforcement officers, Kenya forest officers and the Kenya wildlife officers are also held accountable in regards to how they perform their duties, we believe many of these officers are committing serious crimes since they cannot be investigated by IPOA nor the Police Internal Affairs Unit, “Noted Fredrick Odhiambo.
A joint team of medical practitioners from the Uasin Gishu County Government and the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital has been providing medical care to street connected youth at the Eldoret Municipal Social hall where some of the urchins are being held.
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