New reports of police harassment of activists

Below is a report I have just read by a Bunge la Mwananchi activist. We have been urging the activists who are being harassed to document their experiences as best as they can. I have promised to make sure that what is going on in Kenya right now gets a wider audience. The report is disturbing to say the very least, not just because it shows you just how paranoid and oppressive this government is becoming, but also because it gives some insight into how the extra-judicial killings that have been in the news start off and how easy it is to be “disappeared” if you don’t have good contacts and with a Mungiki label slapped on you. Please note that it quite lengthy and very unedited.

By Gacheche Gachiki

Dear Comrades, Friends and Allies.

We take this opportunity to thank you all for your great concern and follows-ups to our illegal arrests and detention .

Yesterday morning at 9.00 am I had just been invited by my friend Ibra…as we call him for a cup of coffee in Kiamaiko , within few minutes we were joined by Ruth mumbi of Kiamaiko young women resource centre , She had a article of association for their small organisation and objectives that she needed me to read before they register , In kimaiko the biggest goat market in Nairobi there is a abundant of life with many people coming to buy goats , A friend of mine who I had helped to follow a case of his brother of extra judicial killing joined us , He had a apron coat that is uniform for workers in the slaughter houses, he informed me he had started a small joint business inside one slaughter house with four goats I encouraged him for that ,We were still with Mumbi taking coffee My comrade Ibrahim paid for the coffee and he left to collect his shoes, Another friend came his Nick name Sapare , He is great supporter of Bunge La Mwananchi debates mostly conducted at Kwa Rasta, café with a Mug of tea a place mostly Visited by members of Bunge la Mwananchi either to take a cheap meal of Madodochapati (beans served with chapatti) for Ksh30 or mug of tea that goes for ksh 5 bob last time that we were visitors to kwa Rasta was last Sunday with Keli , Mulialia odipo and Mumbi as we were visiting ongaza njia community centre in the same area for our community organizing activities and we engaged in a good debates and discussion that we had plans to improve the the Bunge La mwananchi debates in an open space within the slums , It is my friend Sapare. Who invited me in Kwa Rasta Where mostly I spend by early Sunday Morning reading the articles in Sunday Nation.

I was the first to enter as I left Sapare with Mumbi, where we were taking coffee, the two police officer were seated down like other customers, I looked for a place to seat and I ordered for a mug of tea before one officer who gave in a space for me to seat at this time I didn’t know him .Before he called the other two officers outside..in the next I minutes that place looked like hell the plastic jugs that are used to serve water to customers without any resist of arrests or provocation both water and breakings jugs were breakings in our heads with beatings and shouts of orders for us to knell down under the tables the experience we went through was very horrible and indeed cruel and I expected death to surprises as any time in that moment before the journey through Kimaiko , Ghetto slum , Huruma Mathare North Via Nairobi river bank, With beatings and torture and abuses and demands of money to buy our freedom Ksh 200,000,, The movement of young people from this informal settlement, 20 in number and those who were arrested along the route was in form of a human train. Handcuffed with Chains that have trade mark HIATTS MADE IN ENGLAND, along the route we were buddle together in a makeshift kiosk where, near St Martin Deplores church, that border Nairobi River and Mathare North Estate, to wait for any relative who might have some money to buy our freedom from the human chain train

AS we negotiated the Nairobi river banks behind Madoya slum near the river where there are big bushes and small well cultivated farms of Vegetable. We were order to stop for inspections of any illegal substance like bhang, Snuff, tobacco, or mobile phone without a receipt,

This inspection is what become our hope when it came to my turn, my Nokia 5000 cell phone was taken away and wallent Which they saw Business cards of Hon Farah Maalim , Paul Muite And Dr. willy Mutunga, Firoze Manji and Calvin Mbugua of Ongaza njia Community centre.

After Scrolling, my phone book immediately it was switched off, and they beckoned each other for a small meeting behind a concrete slab in the river bank.

After coming back to the scene of our inspection, I was separated from 12 members who we were arrested together at Kwa Rasta Café in Kiamaiko. And this time I was chained together with one young man his name Charles Macharia , who was bleeding all over his face and at first time I received an individual threat of death if I don’t cooperate to be released alone, and leave the others because of Contacts in my phone book and the business cards.But the other eleven young people demaded that I was arrested together with them and no way I can be separated from them unless death , With their demands they received serious beatings but at the end we were separated. Near a small bridge that unite Madoya slum and Mathare.

From that point my comrade was Charles Macharia and another young man who was arrested in Madoya slum him his hands were tied with cooper wires after the HIATTS chains became scarce, Macharia who we started our journey together at Kwa Rasta had received serious beating his crime is that he keep on saying he will report his matter to Human rights people about his many illegal arrests, and beatings on his hand he had a cash bail bond issued by Makadara law courts of Ksh 5000. And he could not accept to back to another police station. In his hands he had bag carrying Topex bleach detergent and Vasseline. That he hawk in small shop in Huruma Kiamaiko mostly manufactured in Light industries, along Juja road that Border Huruma and Kariobangi Noth estate

The bag was a bit heavy so I had to assist him while he was wiping blood on his face his plea to wash his blood soaked face in the Nairobi River as it was drying on his face were answered with more beatings…and more humiliation, He did request me we escape with the handcuffs but I sensed danger on that suggestion., he had plan on how to cut the England made chains in the slum called Ghetto.

From this the Bridge that join Madoya slum Mathare North , Myself and Charles Macharia and the young man tied with copper wire we walked together cursing the system and the police who had arrested as in silent…as we were taken to another direction by one police officer.

The fate of other eleven arrested kwa Rasta remained unknown to me but near the stage of route No 29/30 for Mathare north we were packed in another makeshift kiosk, for more observation, whether we can accept to buy our freedom, after one hour the next group that was separated from as was escorted to the new holding base., together with two women an and another young man by more ruthless officers.

From here Ruth mumbi using contacts of the women who was arrested trying to follow his sons she was able to trace our where about and contacted Keli Muysoka of Bunge la Mwanachi , Who then contacted Calvin and of Ongaza njia community and Hon . Paul muite and at 2pm the police could not stay longer with us in the Bush they had to take us to the nearest police station a number of people from huruma community and members of Bunge La Mwanachi had already reached at Muthaiga police station and they had started to demands our production to the nearest legal police station.live or dead.

At Muthaiga police station we were taken there by a private vechicle a Nissan from Mathare North there was more beatings again to confess we are members of Mungiki and at that time of arrests were conducting oaths, our belts shoes and valuables, were booked and were put in custody.

At around 4 pm we were called again for our details to be taken, within few minutes at Divisional criminal investigations office, is when Paul muite arrived and together with Members of Bunge La Mwanachi Geroge Nyongesa Fwaba and Calvin Mbugua with local media.

Hon. Paul Muite did request for our release with police bond, and we report to Muthaiga police station tomorrow at on 24/02/09 8 am our bonds that we are compelled to report to Muthaiga police station under section 22 of the police act Cap84. For the inspector of police to make inquiries into an alleged offence of being members of outlawed sect (Mungiki). As serious tag for exte-judicial execution…at this hour.