On May 19, PBI-Kenya tweeted: “We visited @KiambiuJustice [Kiambiu Justice & Information Network – KIJIN] to know their offices and discussed their vision, structure, and #humanrights issues in Kiambiu. Congratulations on the work with the #youth and thank you for sharing your experiences as an #HRD.”

Kiambiu is an informal settlement, situated about 4 kilometers east of the center of Nairobi. It has a population of about 50,000 people.

It’s also located near the Moi Air Base, used by the Kenya Air Force.

In June 2020, The Star reported on a survey conducted by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Social Justice Centres Working Group that found police violence against civilians, brutality, harassment and arbitrary arrest remained pervasive.

The article notes: “Beatings, use of live ammunition, teargas, sexual violence and damage to property attributable to the law enforcement bodies were rampant. In Nairobi, slums such as Kiambiu, Kiamaiko, Mukuru and Dandora were the most affected. Police action in these places has resulted in deaths and injury of innocent people.”

Ruaraka

On May 18, PBI-Kenya also posted:

“Visit to Ruaraka Social Justice Center to discuss the important work of the #HRDs in defending the rights of their community. We talked about the election context, planned activities and more ways to work together. Thank you for having us!”

International Cities has noted:

“Ruaraka is home over 192 620 inhabitants with two major informal settlements, Mathare and Korogocho which has the largest population. Here an average person survives on less than a dollar a day. Ruaraka is the second largest industrial zone in the country. Yet, it is one of the conflict-ridden regions during electioneering period. It is marked as one of the hot spots by Independent and Boundaries Commission IEBC.”

Following the 2017 election, Human Rights Watch stated: “The elections were marred by serious human rights violations by Kenyan security forces, who used excessive force to break up protests and carry out house-to-house operations particularly in opposition strongholds in Nairobi and western Kenya.”

The general election in Kenya will be held on August 9.

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