[kictanet] Kenyan Tech Engineer, Zak Muriuki, Died in Ethiopian Jail

Mon Dec 19 21:31:55 EAT 2016

RIP - Zak ...

> On 19 Dec 2016, at 14:32, Barrack Otieno via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> 
> Hi Kevin,
> 
> Many thanks for this email, we empathize with the families of the
> Kenyan techies. I also want to thank Mr. Esuchi for responding even
> though it appears to be a public relations exercise. We hope that this
> matter is treated with the seriousness it deserves so that our Kenyan
> colleagues can be released otherwise it will reverse our efforts to
> promote regional business ties and interrogation. We have seen similar
> cases in South Sudan as well and it is high time the government
> intervenes as it did with regard to the cases in Saudi Arabia.
> Please keep us updated Kevin so that we can have the correct picture
> on what is happening.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Regards
> 
>> On 12/19/16, Kevin Kamonye via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>> What I can say for sure is that the government could have, and more
>> importantly now, could do much to end the suffering of these families.
>> 
>> The least they can do is to compel the Ethiopian authorities to formally
>> charge all the suspects (others such as Maxwell Ochieng and Oscar Otindo
>> have been there for much longer than Jedrick Mugo and the Late Zak Muriuki.
>> It was Zak who found a way to communicate to their families of their
>> whereabouts and shared the funds and food channeled to him by the company
>> and family, plus many others from other African countries. He also took on
>> the role of their 'protector' while in prison).
>> 
>> It is a great injustice to be continuously kept in remand on some of the
>> flimsiest reasons ever given in a court of law. Zak's last straw was when
>> the Judges indicated that the ruling was ready but it was in a handwritten
>> format and needed to be typed. This was on Oct 27th and the new ruling date
>> was set to January. He came from very high spirits and quickly went into
>> depression. This has always been the narrative with the court. I was there
>> during the August hearing and they said that they needed to go on leave
>> thus pushing it to the Oct date.
>> 
>> All this time wives and children and families were without their loved ones
>> - and with no officially permitted visits.
>> 
>> Finally, Zak was my colleague of many years. As for the company I will ask
>> you to listen very carefully on what these families themselves are saying.
>> What I know is that these two companies have spent MILLIONS of shillings
>> going back and forth to Addis and everywhere else they can to find a
>> solution, legal fees, school and family upkeep fees aside to the salaries
>> being paid as usual. There has been a team of lawyers both in Ethiopia and
>> Kenya.
>> 
>> Tomorrow the 19th is Zak's memorial service at the Lutheran Church on
>> Nyerere Rd, starting at 10 AM (see attached map for directions). Afterwards
>> we have also planned a peaceful march to light candles at the Ethiopian
>> embassy - as many as the days that they held him without any charge. (PS:
>> The police have been duly notified).
>> 
>> Anyone that has a means to facilitate that the rest in prison are given a
>> fair trial, please side bar.
>> 
>> RIP brother Zak.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Kevin
>> 
>> On 18 December 2016 at 08:09, Ali Hussein via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>> 
>>> Tony
>>> 
>>> Very good point. Infact I wonder how in the first place did this company
>>> or companies accept to do work in a country like Ethiopia without
>>> ensuring
>>> they have ALL the relevant licenses and government approvals. We all know
>>> Ethiopia is one of the most oppressive countries in the world right now.
>>> Chasing dollars without enduring you are on the right side of the law is
>>> simply criminal. They ought to be charged for reckless endangerment of
>>> their employees' lives.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Ali Hussein*
>>> *Principal*
>>> *Hussein & Associates*
>>> +254 0713 601113
>>> 
>>> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>>> 
>>> Skype: abu-jomo
>>> 
>>> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>>> 
>>> 
>>> "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking
>>> what no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> 
>>> On 18 Dec 2016, at 7:27 AM, Tony White via kictanet <
>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>> 
>>> What I find most disgusting in this case is that they appear to have
>>> been totally abandoned by their employer! It is easy to blame
>>> 'serikali', but the employer should have been on the ground with
>>> competent lawyers etc. to resolve this - *not* "we couldn't find the
>>> ambassador" for 2 years!!
>>> 
>>> RIP Zak.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 17/12/2016, Barrack Otieno via kictanet
>>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Ali,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I read the same and i must say it is terrible, the worst bit is that
>>> 
>>> the Kenyan Ambassador could not be reached to help resolve the problem
>>> 
>>> if this is true somebody needs to go home, we cannot have public
>>> 
>>> servants who cannot help the Kenyan public , it is the epitome of
>>> 
>>> arrogance if there is truth in it. It is bad in this day and age for
>>> 
>>> public servants to ignore requests from the public, anyone who know
>>> 
>>> this issue well should enlighten us but as an ICT community we must
>>> 
>>> say no to the way this issue appears to be handled in a pedestrian
>>> 
>>> manner with the same breath that we opposed the ICT bill.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> We need to join hands and petition the government on this matter.
>>> 
>>> Justice be our shield and defender May we dwell in unity, Peace and
>>> 
>>> liberty, Plenty be found within our borders
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Regards
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 12/17/16, Ali Hussein via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Listers
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Saddest news. It also appears that there are three more Kenyan ICT
>>> 
>>> Practitioners who are still languishing in prison in Ethiopia. The main
>>> 
>>> charge is that they are accused of installing communication equipment
>>> 
>>> without a license. Mugo, was arrested with Zak (may the almighty rest his
>>> 
>>> soul in peace) over a year ago and Osborne Otinda with his colleague
>>> 
>>> Maxwell
>>> 
>>> Odhiambo (according to today's Nation, Page 3) were arrested in October
>>> 
>>> 2014
>>> 
>>> and are still in jail.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Excerpts:-
>>> 
>>> 
>>> (Addis Standard) – The body of a Kenyan engineer who died while in an
>>> 
>>> Ethiopian prison has arrived home on Thursday Dec. 11th.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Zak Muriuki, a father of two girls (pictured) and a tech engineer by
>>> 
>>> profession, arrived in Ethiopia nearly two years ago on January 9, 2015,
>>> 
>>> according to information obtained by Addis Standard. He was arrested on
>>> 
>>> January 10 along with another Kenyan, Jadrick Mugo, who is still in
>>> 
>>> prison.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Read on:-
>>> 
>>> 
>>> http://www.ayyaantuu.net/kenyan-tech-engineer-zak-muriuki/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> It also appears that the government is doing what it can to get the
>>> 
>>> Kenyans
>>> 
>>> released.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Ali Hussein
>>> 
>>> Principal
>>> 
>>> Hussein & Associates
>>> 
>>> +254 0713 601113
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>>> 
>>> Skype: abu-jomo
>>> 
>>> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking
>>> 
>>> what
>>> 
>>> no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> 
>>> Barrack O. Otieno
>>> 
>>> +254721325277
>>> 
>>> +254733206359
>>> 
>>> Skype: barrack.otieno
>>> 
>>> PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
>>> 
>>> 
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>>> --
>>> Tony White
>>> 
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>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>>> development.
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>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
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>>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
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>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Barrack O. Otieno
> +254721325277
> +254733206359
> Skype: barrack.otieno
> PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
> 
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
> 
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.