Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to intervene over the alleged “killing and maiming” of his supporters by police. Odinga, who contested the presidential election against William Ruto, made the appeal as an official signal to sustain a prolonged confrontation with the rival administration, local media reported.
The Azimio coalition, founded by Odinga, has provided details of nine individuals it believes were killed by police, including a policeman who was run over by a police vehicle, during the now‑suspended mass action. The coalition also listed opposition supporters and journalists it says were injured by police during the protests, according to the Kenyan newspaper *Nation*.
In a letter sent on Friday, Odinga’s lawyer Paul Mwangi urged ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to submit detailed information on the current situation in Kenya to the court’s pre‑trial chamber for authorization of investigations. The letter also alleged the existence of a special police squad created by Inspector‑General of Police Japhet Koome to unleash terror on Azimio supporters. *Nation* reported that the coalition accused Koome of breaching the Constitution by declaring the protests illegal.
In a recent public address, Odinga described visits to hospitals where he saw youths nursing gunshot wounds allegedly inflicted by police. He lamented the lack of action against officers involved in the maiming and killing of innocent supporters, noting that the police officer knocked over by a police van was his relative.
The letter accused Koome of abrogating the constitutional rights of members of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition and of usurping judicial powers by banning any exercise of rights under Article 37. It also recounted an incident on 3 April 2023 at 16:30 hours near the Pipeline area of Embakasi South Constituency, Nairobi, when police approached the vehicle carrying Odinga and fired approximately ten rounds of live ammunition with the apparent intention to kill him. A report of the attack was filed the next day, but no action was taken. The letter added that, prior to this alleged assassination attempt, the Deputy President of Kenya had publicly stated that it was necessary for Raila Odinga to be “dealt with” and “removed” permanently.
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