Lobby Group Serves New Attorney General Dorcas Oduor With Petition On State Violence

• Bunge La Mwananchi has petitioned newly appointed Attorney General Dorcas Oduor against state violence and illegal arrests during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests
• The group filed a case at the East African Court of Justice, suing President William Ruto, DP Rigathi Gachagua, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, and former IG Japheth Koome
• Bunge La Mwananchi seeks to hold the leaders accountable for police brutality, abductions, and the deaths of unarmed citizens during the protests
• The petition is part of the group's broader mission to address political and social justice issues, including unemployment and police violence, that affect the youth

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - Human Rights advocacy group Bunge La Mwananchi has served newly appointed Attorney General Dorcas Oduor with a petition.

In the petition delivered on Thursday, August 22, the group petitioned against state violence, forceful evictions, abductions and illegal arrests during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests.

The attorney general will now be forced to represent the state in a case filed at the East African Court of Justice, where the lobby sued President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua.

Bunge La Mwananchi President Francis Owino told journalists the move is aimed at serving justice to those who were affected by the protests.

"We will not relent until justice is served because lives were lost, youths were tortured, and we can't just let it go," Awino said.

In the case, the Office of the Attorney General has been listed as the respondent on behalf of the Kenyan government.

Why did Bunge La Mwananchi sue government in Arusha?

The group is seeking to address what it terms as political and social injustice, unemployment, police brutality, and human rights violations that dominated the anti-government protests by the Gen Zs.

The group has also sued Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and immediate former Inspector General of National Police Japheth Koome in the same case.

“We want the courts to issue an order committing the said five people to the criminal justice system so that they are individually held responsible for the violations or orders they issued for the state security officers to commit unprecedented violations and horrendous crimes against the people of Kenya,” Awino said.

He explained that the decision to move to Arusha was informed by a lack of trust in the local criminal justice system.

“We felt that we won’t find justice in our country on the basis that the people who were directly involved will jeopardize the justice system."

The group wants the president and his foot soldiers held responsible for the police brutality witnessed, some of which led to deaths and injuries of unarmed citizens exercising their right to protest.

Awino ready to take on Ruto

Earlier, Awino challenged Ruto to a snap election, criticising his leadership following protests nationwide.

Awino gave Ruto 14 days to resign, threatening to initiate a popular initiative and referendum.

He expressed his willingness to run for president, stating he would serve the country diligently and with dignity.

Awino called on the head of state to take responsibility for recent killings, including bodies found in Embakasi and urged transparency regarding these incidents.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke