LAUNCH OF THE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT TITLED- ACCOUNTABILITY NOW
FRIDAY 24TH MARCH 2023- 8:30 AM TO 1:00 PM
NYAYO GROUNDS – YALA TOWNSHIP
CONCEPT NOTE
The Missing Voices Coalition whose membership includes 15 human rights organizations both local and international has been collecting data on police killings and enforced disappearances since 2019. The 2022 report will be launched on Friday 24th March 2023 in the form of a panel discussion by partners and key note addresses by distinguished guests that include Ambassadors from Germany, Britain, United States and the European Union.
Background
The issue of police killings and enforced disappearances in Kenya has slowly evolved into one of the major human rights violations particularly since security agents are grappling with threats of terrorism and other violent crimes that allow them the justify the inevitable use of force.
However, in many cases where police use deadly force communities have continuously claimed that they are being targeted for arrest, killing and disappearance since they live in informal settlements and are routinely criminalized for being poor. Many of the killings are attributed to anti crime operations in poor neighborhoods especially in urban areas like Nairobi.
These continuous killings and disappearances have eroded the respect that communities have for the police and for the criminal justice system in general since they see it as a tool of oppression instead of a means to achieve justice. They see justice as only a preserve of the rich and powerful and this has led to lack of cooperation between members of the community and security agents.
As a result Missing Voices and its partners have been documenting cases of police killings and enforced disappearances in a bid to understand the underlying causes of killings by recording among others, names, ages, sex, occupation of victims in addition to the circumstances of the incidents. This data then informs the actions of the coalition going forward.
Format
The event will take the form of presentation, panel discussion and key note addresses. Copies of the publication will be made available at the event.
Speakers and Participants
They include representatives of government, independent national institutions, civil society organizations and development partners.
Date and Time
Friday 24th March 2023 from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm
Venue
Nyayo Grounds, Yala Township, Siaya County
The venue was set as Yala due to the increased cases of disappeared persons being found in river Yala. Though not ascertained some of the cases are potential EJKs and Eds. Thus Yala is the prime location for this year’s annual report launch.
Program
| TIME | SESSION DETAIL | FACILITATOR |
| 8:30 – 9: 00 | Arrival and registration Exhibition | |
| 9:00 – 9: 05 | National Anthem | |
| 9:05 – 9:15 | Opening Remarks | |
| 9:15 – 9: 20 | Introduction to Missing Voices / Accountability Now | Missing Voices Director |
| 9:20 – 10: 20 | Report Launch | Missing Voices Director |
| 10:20 – 11:00 | Panel Discussion | Moderator |
| 11:00 – 11: 30 | Plenary | Moderator |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Keynote Addresses | |
| 12:00 Onwards | Concert | MC |
Panel discussion questions
What can be done to improve data collection by missing voices especially in cases like those in Yala with no primary proof that the police were involved?
How can missing voices work better with the local community to get information on sightings or any incidences?
Outline the need to hold the current government to account on the recent cases of Eds and EJKs. Especially with the current presidents remarks on the same.
