KNCHR chairperson Roseline Odede dies after short illness
The late Roseline Odhiambo Odede, who was the Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
What you need to know:
- Ms Odede was appointed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to head the national human rights watchdog in 2021.
- Her last official assignment was on December 26, 2024 when she issued a statement on the state of human rights in Kenya.
Roseline Odhiambo Odede, Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), is dead, the commission has announced.
In a statement, KNCHR Vice Chairperson Raymond Nyeris on Saturday said Odede passed on on Friday after a short illness.
“Her untimely death is a big blow to the Commission and Nation at large. As a Commission we had the privilege of serving with Roseline Odede as the Chairperson at the helm of the KNCHR’s leadership,” Dr Nyeris said.
Ms Odede, a vocal human rights advocate, was appointed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to head the national human rights watchdog in 2021.
President William Ruto mourned Ms Odede as a champion of human rights in the country.
“Deeply saddened by the death of the Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Roseline Odhiambo Odede. She was a formidable human rights champion and a distinguished campaigner for a more equal and fairer society,” President Ruto posted on his X account.
Chief Justice Martha Koome who is also the Chairperson of the National Council on the Administration of Justice where she served as a member said she was ‘exceptional’.
“Her exceptional contributions to promoting and protecting human rights and enhancing the administration of justice in Kenya will forever inspire us, and her legacy will continue to illuminate the path for future generations,” Ms Koome said in a statement.
Career
Before her appointment, she was an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and served as chairperson of the judges and magistrates vetting board.
Her last official assignment was on December 26, 2024 when she issued a statement on the state of human rights in the country.
The commission released data indicating that 82 people had been reported abducted in the past six months, with 29 still missing.
"There have been 13 more cases of abductions or enforced disappearances in the recent three months,” the statement, signed by Odede, read in part.
“Seven of the recent abduction cases were reported in the month of December 2024, with six of them still missing, bringing to 29 the total number of persons still missing since June 2024."
The statement by the commission drew the attention of the international community who demanded an end to the ongoing abductions and respect for human rights by President Ruto’s administration.
In June 2024, during the anti-government protests, Ms Odede also released data indicating the state of human rights in Kenya was at its worst, with peaceful protesters being attacked, injured and killed by armed police.
The Head of State, in an interview, would later accuse the human rights commission of fabricating figures regarding the protests.
