U.S mounts more pressure on Kenya over anti-government protest deaths: summary

What we know

• The United States is increasing pressure on Kenyan President William Ruto over allegations of extrajudicial killings and abductions by police during recent protests.
• The U.S. has called for accountability from officers involved in these actions, in a message U.S. Senator Chris Murphy delivered during his visit to Kenya, where he met with President Ruto and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
• The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported that 60 people were killed and 66 are still missing since the protests began in June. 
• Despite these alarming figures, no officers have been prosecuted or dismissed, although Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority is investigating the allegations. 
• The protests, sparked by controversial tax measures, saw police firing on crowds and pro-government groups reportedly acting with police coordination. Ruto later withdrew the Finance bill and announced some measures to restore calm.

What they said

President William Ruto had earlier urged the justice and security enforcers “to take effective measures and ensure that people who may have been innocently caught up on the wrong side of proceedings, and those not implicated in crimes are released and the charges against them withdrawn. This will enable the agencies to focus their resources, efforts and time on investigating and prosecuting serious criminal elements who took advantage of peaceful demonstrations to advance a dangerous agenda." The White House condemned the violence in Kenya, in July stating through the National Security spokesperson, John Kirby that "The United States is deeply concerned about and we condemn the reported violence in all its forms.” Further, US Senator Chris Murphy who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has further noted that “it’s really important for US leaders to convey those concerns and make it clear that our relationship can’t be at its strongest level unless there is a real commitment from the Kenyan government to hold anyone that engages in abuse, particularly in the context of these protests, accountable.”