'Serial killer' forces Micheal Martin to cancel visit to Irish-funded medical centre in Nairobi
Micheál Martin's visit to the Horn of Africa has also been affected by widespread protests in Nairobi yesterday [tues] following unrest over President William Ruto’s abandoned plans to hike taxes.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said he is “disappointed” after a trip to a slum was cancelled following the arrest of a “serial killer” who “dismembered” female bodies near a Nairobi health centre funded by Ireland.
The visit to the Horn of Africa has also been affected by widespread protests in Nairobi on Tuesday following unrest over President William Ruto’s abandoned plans to hike taxes.
Earlier this week, police arrested a man after nine dismembered bodies of women were found in a quarry in Nairobi. Officers said Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, 33, had confessed to killing 42 women, including his wife, since 2022.
The Tánaiste and his delegation were expected to visit the Irish-funded Misean Cara community health project in an Informal settlement in Makuru on Wednesday afternoon. However, this was cancelled on Monday due to the discovery of the dismembered bodies nearby.
READ MORE: Tánaiste meets Kenyan President amid protests and 'serial killer' controversy
Mr Martin said he was “disappointed” that he was no longer allowed to visit the informal settlement following security advice given to him by the Ambassador of Ireland to Kenya, Caitríona Ingoldsby, when he arrived in Nairobi on Monday evening.
“It is a shocking story. I think we have to await further details and background to this, but it's quite shocking,” he said.
“One of the strongest contributions we make through our development humanitarian aid is to support women and young girls in particular. Very often in the context of conflict and war, but also in other aspects of women's health in regions such as this
That was one of the reasons I was going to Makuru health centre, [which] Medical Missionaries of Mary had established many years ago.
“We fund and support that project which provides extraordinary support to women and young girls, in particular in terms of their health. That's such an atrocity, multiple atrocities, could have occurred. close to that, I think, is quite shocking.
“There are obviously security challenges here as there are elsewhere. But we must keep on working and supporting efforts to improve the situation all around. I have read extensively on the entire region. Women suffer the most in conflict.”
Mr Martin met with President Ruto on Tuesday as large spread protests took place in Nairobi.
Police in Kenya used tear gas to disperse crowds protesting against a piece of legislation that would raise taxes on items such as everyday items such as bread. Protesters are mostly between 18 and 35.
They stormed Parliament on June 25 after legislators passed the bill, with police opening fire and killing over 30 people.
President Ruto later said he would not sign the legislation into law and sacked his Cabinet ministers last week but calls are still mounting for his resignation.
Mr Martin said he discussed the situation with President Ruto and “stressed the importance of partnership and dialogue”.
Elsewhere in Nairobi, Mr Martin met with Young Scientist Kenya (YSK), a competition based on Ireland’s Young Scientist competition. Now operating in 47 counties in Kenya. The overall winner receives third-level scholarships, as well as a trip to Ireland.
Mr Martin said he believes that Young Scientist is “one of [Ireland’s] best exports.
He later launched a €15 million three-year initiative aimed at combating child wasting in the cross-border Mandera Triangle region of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, named Hanaano meaning ‘nurture’ in Somali.
The Tánaiste’s trip to Nairobi will continue on Wednesday before he departs for Ethiopia this evening.
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