Francis Awino the president of Bunge la Mwananchi has filed a petition before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) seeking the Kenya Kwanza Administration to be held liable for the deaths and injuries sustained for the deaths and injuries sustained during the Gen Z protests.
In a notice to the Arusha-based court, Awino claimed that the government violated their constitutional right to protest, resulting in injuries, deaths, abductions, and forced evictions.
He referenced reports from human rights groups that placed fatalities from protests at 60 and 66 mysterious disappearances.
Awino urged the court to issue an order holding President William Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, Attorney General, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, and former Inspector General Japhet Koome criminally responsible.
Awino further asked the court to direct the AG to conduct thorough investigations into the human rights violation during the protests and an order for all officers to desist from committing violence against protestors.
Awino referenced the Githurai shooting, where he alleged that military officers opened fire on protestors, resulting in casualties.
The further stated that the state suppressed the media by disrupting internet services during the protests and forcefully evicted thousands of residents in Mathare, Mukuru and Kibera from their homes.
“While demolitions in slums were aggressively pursued, similar structures in affluent areas were largely untouched, highlighting a discriminatory application of the law,” read part of the notice.
“The demolitions have been accompanied by police violence, resulting in injuries and deaths among the residents. Notably, a 17-year-old-boy was killed during the resistance to forced evictions in Mathare slims.”
