A Kenyan newspaper reported on 8 November 2024 something unusual with regard to human rights awards: Police officer Jackson Kuria, aka Shakur the cop, was nominated for the african Human Rights Defenders Awards. The outspoken police officer is the first uniformed officer ever nominated for this prestigious award In an interview with TUKO.co.ke, Shakur emphasised that police officers are meant to protect civilians and their rights. Jackson Kuria Kihara, aka @Shakurthecop, publicly opposed the Finance Bill 2024 and protested against it. Cop Shakur is the first uniformed officer nominated for Human Rights Defenders Award.
The newspaper adds: Did Cop Shakur merit the award? This is a huge milestone for the police officer, as he has made history as the first uniformed officer to be considered for the award.
This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.