The Mukuru Community Justice Centre has confirmed that it has been summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to appear at its Nairobi headquarters along Kiambu Road.
According to the organisation, the summons is scheduled for today, and it targets the group’s senior leaders.
This comes amid what appears to be a crackdown by Kenyan security agencies on individuals and groups suspected of being involved in the making of the BBC documentary titled Blood Parliament.
The investigative documentary has stirred national debate for exposing alleged police brutality and social injustices in the country.
The Mukuru Community Justice Centre, known for defending human rights and highlighting community-based injustices, especially in informal settlements, issued a public statement confirming that its top leadership had been directed to appear at the DCI offices by 11 a.m.
However, they noted that the summons did not specify any reason for their required appearance, which has sparked growing concern and speculation among the public, especially on social media platforms.
In their official statement, the group expressed suspicion that the summons could be linked to their advocacy in the ongoing case involving mutilated bodies discovered in the Kware area of Pipeline, Embakasi.
The disturbing case remains unresolved, and community members have continued to demand accountability from authorities. The organisation has been at the forefront of pushing for investigations and justice for the victims.
In addition to their role in the Kware case, the Justice Centre also believes their active support during the 2024 Gen Z protests might have drawn unwanted attention from state agencies.
During the demonstrations held in May and June 2024, hundreds of youth rallied against corruption, police brutality, and poor governance.
Some of the group’s members, who are also trained citizen journalists under the initiative SemaUkweliKenya, were involved in documenting the events of the protests.
The activists suspect that authorities are trying to link them to the BBC’s controversial exposé, possibly due to the involvement of their members in filming or providing information for the documentary.
“Good morning, comrades and fellow Kenyans on X (formerly Twitter). The leadership of the Mukuru Community Justice Centre has been summoned to appear at the DCI offices today at 11 a.m.,” the statement read.
“We suspect the summons may be connected to our campaign seeking justice for the victims found in Kware, or due to allegations that some of our members, who are citizen journalists, worked with the BBC during the 2024 Gen Z protests,” the group added.
This development comes just days after four independent filmmakers—Nicholas Gichuki, Brian Adagala, MarkDenver Karubiu, and Chris Wamae—were arrested by police from their studio in Karen on May 3.
The four were taken into custody and held overnight at both Pangani and Muthaiga police stations. During the raid, police seized their filming equipment and hard drives.
Notably, the four filmmakers were never formally charged in court, raising questions about the legality of their detention.
Their time in police custody remained unclear until they were later released on anticipatory bail of Ksh10,000 each.
Their lawyer, Ian Mutiso, informed the public that the Nairobi court not only granted the bail but also issued an order preventing the DCI from arresting or harassing them further.
This series of events has raised widespread alarm among civil rights groups, journalists, and Kenyans at large, who fear that the state might be using security agencies to intimidate individuals and organisations that speak out against injustice and corruption.
As pressure mounts on the government to explain the reasons behind the summons and arrests, many are calling for transparency, protection of freedom of expression, and respect for human rights defenders.
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