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Who Was Joana Stutchbury? Environmentalist Murdered In Nairobi

The release added, that these defenders, including Stutchbury, met their untimely death while trying to leave behind a better world for the next generation and for being the voices and guardians of the trees in the forests that give us the oxygen that we breathe and the wildlife that attracts billions of shillings as foreign currency.

Ayusmita Chatterjee

19 Jul 2021 00:00 IST

Updated On 19 Jul 2021 16:42 IST

New Update

who was Joanna Stutchbury ,Environmental activist Joanna Stutchbury

Who Was Joanna Stutchbury: After the alleged murder of the prominent environmental activist Joanna Stutchbury on July 15, Kenya Civil Societies and Human rights advocates have demanded a probe into the matter.

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Reportedly, she was shot dead in front of her residence following multiple death threats over her protests against the building of wetlands in the Kiambu forest.

The 67-year-old activist was returning home in the outskirts of Nairobi when she was killed at 10 pm local time. Neighbours and friends of the deceased claimed that the attack was not that of robbery, given no belongings were stolen.

Stutchbury had opposed the attempts of powerful local businessmen and received multiple death threats regarding the same.

Who Was Joanna Stutchbury?

Condemning the death of Stutchbury, Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta called the activist, "a steadfast champion for the conservation of our environment" and added that she will be remembered for her relentless efforts to protect the Kiambu forest from encroachment. She was the great-niece of British naturalist Jim Corbett and the last of his relatives according to reports.

Justice For Joanna Stutchbury

Kenya activists said that they were alarmed after Stutchbury's death because environmentalists, human rights activists, and conservationists are threatened, harassed and killed in the country as well as worldwide while the perpetrators continue to walk around the country free.

"We call for justice for Joanna and all the other environmental and human rights activists," the activists said in a statement, "who have lost their lives while defending the integrity of our environment and natural heritage.”

The public statement added, that these defenders, including Stutchbury, met their untimely death in an attempt to leave behind a better world for the next generation. They also had to face their death for being the voices and guardians of the trees in the forests that give oxygen and the wildlife that attracts billions of shillings as foreign currency.

Joanna Stutchbury

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