Last Updated: Wednesday, 31 May 2023, 15:44 GMT

Kenyan court jails men who killed UN aid worker

Publisher UN News Service
Publication Date 1 February 2012
Cite as UN News Service, Kenyan court jails men who killed UN aid worker, 1 February 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4f2f96ea2.html [accessed 31 May 2023]
DisclaimerThis is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
The head of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Josette Sheeran welcomed today the decision by the Kenyan High Court to sentence five men to 56 years in prison each for the murder of a WFP staff member in 2008.

Silence Chirara, a Zimbabwean national, was coordinating WFP's logistics operation for South Sudan when he was ambushed and killed while driving a UN vehicle in the town of Lokichoggio, in northwest Kenya. He was 37.

"Nothing can be done to replace the life of this dedicated humanitarian and father, but justice has now been allowed to run its course," WFP said in a statement. "These stiff prison sentences send an important message that those who harm humanitarian workers shall be brought to justice."

WFP staff members said their thoughts were with Silence's wife and his two children. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms any attack on humanitarian workers. When action is taken, this serves as a deterrent to groups or individuals who are targeting humanitarian staff in their places of work," the statement read.

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