Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said Wednesday the government was not in the business of hiding numbers of those killed in protests.
He said his Tuesday statement on the fatalities from recent protests was based on verified police figures.
Just a day after the ministry reported 42 deaths in the June 25 and July 7, demonstrations, human rights organisation have placed the numbers at 61.
The CS noted that the Government is ready to harmonise with those with contrary numbers.
“Our findings are from the National Police Service records after they conducted physical analysis. If KNCHR, a national entity, reports 61, we don’t dispute it, but we get our findings from law enforcement officers,” said the CS.
The NPS placed the June 25 deaths at 17 and Saba Saba at 25.
“Also, bear in mind that there could have been some whose reported deaths are higher or less but resulted not necessarily from the protests yet listed.”
The CS stressed that the government takes the right to life seriously and therefore any life lost is regrettable.
“Like the case of the little girl who died , it’s very painful that she lost her life. Nobody has the intention to hide numbers. We are ready to tally the numbers for accountability.”
“There is no gain in hiding the numbers, but we want proper investigations done.”
He spoke in Lodwar, Turkana at the start of the Jukwaa la Usalama consultative engagement on issues security, refugees status (Shirika plan) and the government service delivery.
Murkomen said Tuesday more than 1500 people had been arrested and arraigned over the protests.
He added the government is set to review the curfew imposed in the last three years to curb the runaway insecurity in Turkana.
This follows a close-door regional and county security meeting during the Jukwaa la Usalama tour of the county.
He noted that a return of relative calm in the disturbed areas, especially Turkana South and East, made the review necessary.
“I will be reviewing the curfew timing based on the security briefing to give locals more time as we monitor the situation. In three months, if the conditions become good, we might consider lifting the orders,” Murkomen said at a media briefing in Lodwar.
The review will extend the time to 10 pm and 4 am in respect of the March 2025 Kakuma Kalobeyei curfew and
February 2023 Kainuk Maliza Uhalifu.
The curfew and movement restriction were imposed following security concerns to restore peace and order in the region, especially in Kakuma Refugee camp and Kalobeyei settlement.
The curfew along the Kainuk-Lodwar road has been enforced since then, resulting in complaints by locals and business people.
Similarly, Murkomen addressed a myriad of issues touching on refugees’ status and implementation of Shirika plan, National Police Reservist reforms, banditry, boundary and border disputes, as well as human-wildlife conflict.
The CS noted that Turkana is one of the largest counties with a vast population and facing complex security challenges.
Other issues raised include drug and substance abuse as well as mental health challenges among the young, challenges he said were made worse by the porous borders.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
