Kirinyaga woman rep wants ICC to probe June 25 protest deaths
Njeri said the scale of loss including the deaths of over 100 mostly young protesters, demands international intervention to secure justice and accountability. She emphasized that political loyalties should not shield those responsible for the bloodshed.
Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina is calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an independent investigation into the violence, deaths, and destruction that occurred during the June 25 Gen Z memorial protests, saying the country can no longer rely on partisan institutions.
In a post on her official X account on Friday night, Njeri said both government and opposition leaders were trading accusations instead of seeking justice for the victims.
“We require an impartial investigator,” she wrote.
“The government has been accused of facilitating, aiding, and protecting police and civilian terror against its people. On the other hand, the government claims the opposition orchestrated the violence.”
Njeri said the scale of loss including the deaths of over 100 mostly young protesters, demands international intervention to secure justice and accountability. She emphasized that political loyalties should not shield those responsible for the bloodshed.
“Mothers are mourning their children who will never come home. Someone must take action, and that someone must be neutral. We demand the ICC to take charge and prosecute those responsible, whether in government or outside,” she stated.
Her remarks came just hours after former deputy president and Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua also weighed in on the aftermath of the protests.
In an interview with NTV, Gachagua dismissed claims by allies of President William Ruto that he was behind the chaos, including mobilising and funding violent groups.
“If I was behind those goons, they’d either be in custody or dead by now,” Gachagua said. “How did unarmed goons manage to storm police stations and walk away unchallenged if the state had prior information?”
Gachagua also took aim at the Interior Ministry’s handling of the protests, questioning the strength of the government’s intelligence and preparedness.
“The Interior CS walking in Nairobi in the morning, then claiming it was an attempted coup? How weak is this government?” he posed.
The demands for ICC action and the mounting political blame game underline the deepening tensions surrounding the state’s response to the protests, which turned deadly in multiple parts of the country.
