NAIROBI, Kenya – The Oscar Foundation Free Legal Aid Clinic has come forth claiming that the Kenyan police have killed more than 8,000 Mungiki people since 2002.  These people were executed or tortured by Kenya’s General Service Unit during a crack-down on the banned Mungiki politico-religious sect in slum areas.

A Kenyan police spokesperson called the report “fictitious” and states that instead criminals are responsible for the deaths.  The Oscar Foundation, however, claims that they have “documented 8,040 cases of death by execution and torture perpetuated by state agents and another 4,070 cases of disappearance where victims remain unaccounted for in the period between August 2002 and August 2007”.  The report is based on autopsy reports, relative interviews, and other records.

The Oscar Foundation report closely follows a statement by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights that linked Kenyan police to 500 Mungiki executions in the past 5 months.  It also comes out ahead of the Kenyan general election next month, where President Mwai Kibaki will seek his second term.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Lawyers say police killed 8,000 Kenyans in sect crackdown – 25 November 2007

BBC News – Kenyan police ‘killed thousands’ – 25 November 2007

Malaysia Sun – Kenyan police blamed for mass murders – 25 November 2007