PBI-Kenya attends launch of Mothers’ Network and memorial for human rights defender Caroline Mwatha Ochieng

On February 16, the Peace Brigades International-Kenya Project posted, “Yesterday we attended two events – the launch of The Mother’s of Victim’s Network and a memorial to honour the life of Carol Mwatha.”

“Carol was a strong woman in the face adversity – she worked hard and passionately for the rights of others, the same way we know the Mother’s of Victims Network will fight for justice for their lost loved ones and those who whose lives are unjustly taken by the police.”

PBI-Kenya adds, “We are happy that the two could coincide together.”

The Mothers of Victims & Survivors Network

The Mathare Social Justice Centre had previously posted, “The Mothers of Victims & Survivors Network will be launched on February 15, 2020.”

“This is a network composed, primarily, of mothers and wives of victims of extrajudicial killings. They have been doing a lot of work over the past two years: supporting each other through court cases, documenting new victims, and strategizing together.”

The MSJC added, “This launch is a celebration of the work they have been doing and will continue to do so to make sure they can get justice for the many families whose members have been killed by the police.”

For a 30-second video clip tweeted by the MSCJ at the launch, please click here.

On February 14, Missing Voices, a group of organizations whose mission is to end enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Kenya, released its 2019 Annual Report on the State of Police Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Kenya.

In this press statement, Missing Voices notes, “Last year, police killed 107 Kenyans according to Missing Voices verified data, most of those killed were young men mostly in informal settlements.”

Caroline Mwatha Ochieng

In February 2019, Gacheke Gachihi, the Coordinator of Mathare Social Justice Centre and member of the Social Justice Centre Working Group, wrote, “The disappearance and murder of Caroline Mwatha Ochieng, a foundering member of Dandora Social Justice Centre and member of the Social Justice Centre Working Group (the collective voice of social justice centres in the informal settlements in Nairobi), sends a terrifying  message to human rights defenders and social justice activist  who are fighting against systematic extra-judicial killings and police brutality in Kenya.

“Caroline Mwatha Ochieng was a tireless campaigner against police brutality and illegal arrests, and she was involved in documenting these cases and referring them to the independent Police Oversight Authority, and other organisations that have been mandated to seek accountability and redress against human rights violations in Kenya. Through the documentation of these cases Carol was exposed to serious police harassment and threats but she never gave up and continued to fight for social justice.”

“Caroline Mwatha lives on in our struggles.”