State House road executions: Murders that shook the presidency

March 5, 2009 was a tense Thursday in Nairobi. Security forces seemed overwhelmed by protesting members of the outlawed Mungiki sect who had paralysed activities in various parts of the city. The protests were about the rise in extrajudicial killings by the police. The demonstrators had the backing of the Oscar Foundation, which had documented evidence of police excesses and also offered free legal aid to victims. Earlier that afternoon, then Government Spokesperson Alfred Mutua, like police headquarters, had warned that stern action would be taken against any organisation abetting Mungiki activities. At dusk, two officials of the Oscar Foundation, Oscar Kamau King'ara, 39, and George Paul (GP) Oulu, 26, were ambushed by gunmen in rush hour traffic along State House Road. Oscar and his communications and advocacy officer were shot dead at point blank range at around 6.30pm.
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