In light of recent incidents of police brutality and abduction, the Independent Medical Legal Unit and Kenya Medical Association are working to assist torture victims in Nairobi and Nakuru.
According to DR. Wangari Kinyanjui from Kenya Medical Association, many cases of torture are recorded happening which victims are not able to report and document the cases due to a little or lack of understanding on how to report and document or how to follow up on justice.
“We have been having a series of workshops and webinars across the country to help educate health workers on how to document forensic torture.We realize it’s something that has been happening and has a particular way of documenting so that we are able to make sure that any torture, harm or death that happens, is well captured and documented so that necessary measures can be implemented on the perpetrators,”she explained.
“We have also taught the community on what happens when one experiences torture and how to go about it because you find maybe, when someone has encountered either brutality or gender-based violence, they go shower and discard the clothes they are wearing and those are some of the vital pieces of evidence that help find the perpetrators.”
In a joint effort to find victims of torture in Nairobi, IMLU and KMA conducted a free medical camp at Mukuru Kwa Njenga, where more than 60 victims from GENZ demonstrations and general forms of torture in the society attended. The patients received counselling, medication and their cases filed for pursuit of justice. Hezbon Bahati a Genz shot on 20 october last year around KICC while heading to celebrate the lives of fellow Genz killed during demonstrations, attended the medical camp where he received medical attention after developing complications.
“At this camp we have received more than 60 patients but when we were interacting with these patients, they tell us that there are over 20 patients who cannot move from their homes to come to the camp because they have become immobile. We have realized that almost all these patients do not know their rights. The legal team from IMLU has taken time to enlighten the patients about their rights and channels to follow while seeking justice,” Wangare Gen Z
According Dr. Wangare all patients that have experienced police brutality and any forms of torture will be helped to get the right medication from referral hospitals and also be helped to pursue justice.
“The youths across the country but specifically from the slum set up have been experienced police brutality for a very long time. The police have been abusing their power like for me a part from being shot on 20 oct while I was going to celebrate the lives of my fellow youths killed during demonstrations, I have been profiled because of my dreadlocks and forcefully shaved other youths have been arrested forcefully shaved. We encounter a lot of police brutality here. I remember when bodies were found here at Kware so many youths were shot and others seriously injured when we started demanding to know what was happening. We encounter a lot of challenges here and that is not the way to go,” Hezbon Bahati a victim of police brutality explained.
Bahati who is a husband and a father says that he is now forced to depend on family and well-wishers to carter for his needs and that of his family. He points out that his leg has now developed a deformity which if is not taken care of will become a permanent condition rendering him disabled.
“I am a musician since the shooting incident I have not been able to do anything. Financially I am drained because I can’t work my family looks up to me. As a man its slowly weighing me down because I can’t help my family. I am a very social person nowadays I have lost touch with the community I used to be a social health promoter. I would go out there and help people it hurts me to just be laying around here in pain,” Bahati expressed
“When we were attending to Bahati, we realized two main things his limb has become shorter and he has a bone infection called osteomyelitis that needs urgent treatment. All those patients that need specialized care we will refer them to referral hospitals affiliated to IMLU and will receive the medical care for free.
The youths from Mukuru Kwa Njenga now calls out the police asking them to uphold the constitution and respect their right to demonstrate.
“All those that are mandated to maintain law and order please we need you to work within the law. The police should stop abuse of power and profiling youths because they lokma certain way does help. Foe us who got shot and those who died during the demonstrations we ask the government to account for all these cases and bring justice to all the affected people,” Bahati offered his plea.
