Kenya: Murder of human rights defender, Mr Joab Murefu Wanyonyi
Front Line strongly condemns the murder of human rights defender, Mr Joab Murefu Wanyonyi by two armed men, on 21 May 2009, at Kanduyi junction, 2 kilometres from Bungoma town.
Further Information
Joab Murefu Wanyonyi was a founder member of the Mwatikho Torture Survivors Organisation (MATESO) in Western Kenya and was involved in campaigns against police officers who killed people in the post-election violence in Kenya in January 2008, in the town of Bungoma. He was also involved in the campaign calling for justice following the murder of over 800 people in the Mount Elgon region by the militia group, Saboat Land Defense Force.
On 21 May 2009, at approximately 5am, Joab Murefu Wanyonyi was driving his collective taxi (matatu) from Bungoma to Kitale, carrying six passengers, when he was shot by two armed men at the Kanduyi junction, 2 kilometres from the town of Bungoma.
According to the two passengers who were seated in the front of the vehicle with the human rights defender, as the vehicle slowed down to cross speed bumps at the Kanduyi junction, two unidentified men emerged from the side of the road with flash lights and hailed down the vehicle.
Joab Murefu Wanyonyi reportedly assumed that they were normal passengers intending to board the vehicle and slowed down further. One of the assailants shone the light on the human rights defender and shouted that he was the ‘one’.
Joab Murefu Wanyonyi was then shot before he had a chance to react. The assailants followed the vehicle as it moved forward, out of control, and proceeded to shoot him again twice. The vehicle crashed into a nearby ditch and the assailants fled the scene. They did not express any interest in the other passengers. Joab Murefu Wanyonyi died instantly.
Front Line believes that Joab Murefu Wanyonyi was murdered because of his legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights, in particular his work to denounce extrajudicial executions in Kenya. Front Line is deeply concerned that this forms part of an ongoing pattern of extrajudicial executions in Kenya.
This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.
Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.
