CYRUS JIRONGO TALKS OVER THE RETURN OF ASSASSINATIONS IN KENYA

"Today's discovery in Machakos County of the bodies of lawyer, Willie Kimani; his client, Josphat Mwenda; and their taxi driver, Joseph Muiruri is a huge stain on the conscience of this nation.

The death of the three who were last seen returning from a hearing at Mavoko Law Courts, on June 23rd, is frightening as it is alarming of a dangerous path this country is taking. The brazen disappearing and murder of a witness, a taxi driver and a well-known human rights defender is well beyond any known boundaries for any country that talks about the rule of law. Of serious concern is the fact that the court hearing had raised questions of police misuse of firearms and threats against witnesses.

I have severally alerted Kenyans to be aware of the growing pattern of violence and assassinations as a means of solving disputes, silencing commercial and political opponents, and defeating the course of Justice.

Today's discovery cannot and should not be seen in isolation of similar events. Several deaths have occurred in the last one year that point to the phenomenon I have warned about. The complicity of organs of government in either the deaths or the subsequent cover ups must be interrogated urgently before we all sink into the abyss of bloody violence as means of resolving disputes between citizens and those in authority who legally control instruments of violence. The evidence of psychopathic torture on the bodies of the victims is as sickening as it is a wakeup call for us as countrymen to ask ourselves deep serious questions.

The murder of the three Kenyans while in pursuit of justice against official malpractice, the murder and cover up of Jacob Juma's death as a response to his revelations about economic crimes, the murder of my daughter's friend on June 1st as a warning to me for pointing out the cover up in Jacob Juma's assassination, must be condemned by any sober person who cares for this country.

We as citizens of Kenya must demand accountability from our government with a clear reminder that not one Kenyan is above the law, no one has a right to terminate another citizen's life extrajudicially, and those mandated to be in charge of our security must never be excused or let off when they turn the weapons they hold in trust against Kenyans to protect selfish personal interests."