Justice For Daniel Musyoka
Justice For Daniel Musyoka
Why this petition matters
On the 5th of August 2022. Dr William Samoei Ruto was declared the president elect of the Great Republic of Kenya. The election was marred by allegations of electoral misconduct being thrown by both sides, shameless displays of violence at the national tallying centre and an overall disregard for the millions of Kenyans that peacefully exercised their right to vote by politicians and their agents.
During the announcement, the IEBC chairperson mentioned cases of disappearance, threats, arbitrary arrest, and assault being perpetrated against electoral officials. These occurences brought back memories of one of the most famous unsolved murder case of an electoral official-Chris Msando.
Perhaps the most shameless disregard displayed was the insufficient attention paid to the case of Mr Daniel Musyoka, a returning officer from Embakassi East that had served his nation dutifully, to ensure that the elections were conducted and votes were tallied at the tallying Centre he was responsible for.
Mr Musyoka, 53, went missing from his tallying centre on 11th August 2022. He disappeared moments before announcing the results for the parliamentary and county assembly races at the East Africa School of Aviation tallying centre. He was later found dead, his body dumped in Amboseli National Park. His name became nothing but a footnote in the celebration and frustration that followed from both sides of the electoral divide. Statements were shared, announcements were made, choirs sang, chairs were thrown, blows and allegations were exchanged, and his plight disappeared amongst the many sponsored tweets that prioritised pushing a winning (and divisive) narrative from both sides. He became a worrying statistic, a tragic addition to the Kenyan electoral story.
Daniel Musyoka was a father, a husband, a brother, a colleague and a friend. Above all, he was a patriotic citizen whose service came at a risk that should not have existed had impunity and corruption not shaped our electoral journey.
Mr Musyoka deserves better, his family deserves justice. We, the Kenyan people, demand for justice. We demand for:
1) A speedy and thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the disappearance and brutal murder of Mr Daniel Musyoka
2) The arrest and prosecution of those that were involved in his disappearance and murder
3) A review of safety and security provisions and other relevant support offered to electoral officials and their families in the event of a disappearance, injury or death in the line of duty
4) Mr Musyoka's contribution to the electoral process as a responsible Kenyan citizen will be sufficiently recognised and that his family will receive dignified and sufficient information and support
Election officials deserve to serve the nation without fearing for their safety and lives. The incidences or arbitrary arrest, disappearances, threats and assault must stop. Kenyans deserve better.