A special police squad that has allegedly been involved in extrajudicial executions in Kenya in recent years has been abolished, according to President William Ruto of Kenya.
The president, who took office in September, claimed the action was a component of efforts to reform the nation’s security industry.
He told a church congregation on Sunday:
Quote Message:
I am the one who ordered that the Special Service Unit that was conducting extrajudicial killings be disbanded. We have a plan on how to secure this country so that we avoid the shame of Kenyans killed [elsewhere and bodies dumped]in Yala River and others. We are going to change this country for the better.”
The termination of the team, according to Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper, was “precipitated” by an investigation report on the disappearance of two Indian citizens and their local taxi driver.
The two Indians arrived in Kenya in April to support Mr. Ruto’s campaign ahead of the general election in August, but they vanished along with their Kenyan taxi driver three months later, according to the newspaper.
It was discovered in January that at least 19 unidentified bodies in various states of decomposition had been pulled from the Yala River over the previous two years.
There is no proof that the security personnel were involved in any way with the Yala bodies.
But many murders that have been directly tied to police officers have been reported by human rights organizations.
