Reuben Kigame Moves to Court to Prosecute Murkomen, Kanja Over Deadly Protest Crackdowns
Former presidential candidate and human rights advocate Reuben Kigame has filed a petition at the High Court seeking to privately prosecute top government officials over the deaths and abuses witnessed during anti-government protests in 2024 and 2025.
Kigame is targeting senior security leaders, including Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin, and National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji.
Speaking during a press briefing held on Thursday, July 31, Kigame accused the officials of overseeing what he described as “crimes against humanity” that resulted in the deaths of more than 100 peaceful protesters and innocent bystanders.
Kigame claims that many more Kenyans were abducted, tortured, and some later found dead in incidents he says were orchestrated by state agents.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions has failed to act, yet these crimes are known. That’s why we have taken this legal step,” Kigame said.
According to the petition, the former presidential aspirant wants the court to grant him permission to institute criminal proceedings against the named officials if state institutions fail to take action.
Accompanied by his lawyer Gitobu Imanyara and human rights activist Alamin Kimathi, Kigame made his case at the Milimani Law Courts, stating that he was acting on behalf of the victims and their families.
“I am doing this on behalf of all parents whose children have been killed. No office or title grants immunity for such atrocities,” he said.
Kigame also warned that if the Kenyan judiciary fails to deliver justice, he will escalate the matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“I intend to escalate the matter right to the ICC, so help me God,” he declared.
He further noted that the International Crimes Act allows the ICC to intervene in cases where gross violations of human rights have occurred. In his filing, Kigame listed the names of 91 Kenyans who lost their lives, including Rex Kanyike Maasai.
Kigame said the petition is just the beginning of a broader quest for justice, and a call to hold those in authority accountable for what he termed as “a campaign of state-sanctioned violence.”
