Retired Chief Justice Maraga demands action against killers of Gen Z protesters
Retired Chief Justice David Maraga has called for accountability in the killings of young protesters during last year’s anti-government demonstrations, urging authorities to uphold the rule of law and protect constitutional rights.
Speaking on Friday, February 28, 2025, at the launch of a Kituo Cha Sheria report, Maraga emphasized that families of the slain youths deserve justice and that those responsible for their deaths should face legal consequences.
“We are in a civilized state, we have a constitution that entrenches human rights. There should be nobody who should be killed simply because they have demonstrated,” Maraga said.
“If there is any offence committed during that demonstration, those ones should be charged in court. That’s what should be done – not anybody just being shot and killed or even maimed without due process,” he added.
His remarks come a day after Jacinta Anyango, the mother of 12-year-old Kennedy Onyango – killed in Ongata Rongai during the anti-Finance Bill protests – publicly demanded justice for her son.
Speaking outside the Milimani Law Courts, Anyango revealed that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had requested additional evidence regarding her son’s killing.
She expressed shock at the demand, stating that IPOA officials had been present during the postmortem, which confirmed her son had been shot.
“I was surprised by IPOA’s demand, yet they were present during the postmortem exercise and saw the results stating he was killed by a bullet. I only have the postmortem report and the grave of my son as evidence,” she told journalists, her voice breaking with emotion.
The grieving mother detailed the harrowing events of June 27, 2024, when her son stepped outside to borrow a book after school and was shot eight times. The autopsy, conducted at Ongata Rongai Hospital and witnessed by the family, confirmed Onyango had died from a single bullet wound.
Hussein Khalid, a human rights defender with Vocal Africa, condemned the excessive force used by the police, stating that Onyango succumbed to a gunshot wound that caused severe internal bleeding.
“Kennedy suffered a gunshot wound so severe that it passed through his body, which is a clear indication of the excessive force used by the police,” Khalid said.
The killing of young protesters in the June 2024 protests sparked outrage throughout the country, with civil society groups and activists demanding accountability from law enforcement agencies.
Despite multiple calls for justice, prosecutions have been slow, raising concerns over impunity and police brutality.
Maraga’s intervention adds weight to the growing calls for reform within the police. As the former head of the judiciary, his voice carries significant influence in the push for justice.
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Martin Oduor
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