Fear for Trade Union Leaders' Life

Red Pepper Magazine, 26 September 1997

Dr Omari Onyango, Secretary General of Kenya`s University Academic Staff Union, and Chair of the International Centre for Trade Union Rights Kenya National Committee was arrested by armed police on August 8th and has not been seen since according to the last information we have received from inside the country.

Dr. Onyango is a leading member of the National Convention Executive Committee (he chairs the Coalitions mass task force) which is a coalition of political parties, mainstream churches and trade unions and others campaigning for democratic constitutional change.

There is widespread concern for Dr. Onyango`s safety in a country where the authorities have recently arrested over 500 pro-democracy activists.

The International Centre for Trade Union Rights. (ICTUR) and a number of trade unions from around the world have already protested to the Kenyan authorities. ICTUR, which unites trade union bodies and lawyers and publishes the authoritative journal International Union Rights, calls on all who treasure human rights and trade union freedoms to protest to the Kenyan authorities and to demand the immediate release of Dr. Omari Onyango.

Letters should be sent to

1 The Attorney General, State Law Office PO Box 40112, Nairobi Kenya

2 Office of the President, Harambee House PO Box 30510, Nairobi Kenya

3 the Kenyan Embassy in your country

ICTUR
International Head Office:
UCATT House, 177 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9RL
Tel: +44 171 498 4700 Fax: +44 171 498 0611
Email: ictur@gn.apc.org

An appeal was recently issued via LabourNet concerning what was believed to be the arrest of Dr Omari Onyango in Kenya. We have now been reliably informed from a number of sources that, although a warrant was issued for his arrest, Dr Onyango, in fact, avoided arrest by going into hiding. We are very pleased to report that he is now safely outside of Kenya.