It is with great sadness that we at Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) pay tribute to Victor Inyanje Kabaka, who died on April 9, 2015, following a tragic car accident. Victor was a principal prosecution counsel at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Kenya, within the specialized division on sexual and gender-based violence. PHR’s Program on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones has had the privilege of working with Victor since 2012 and will remember him for his great enthusiasm, passion, and commitment to seeking justice for survivors of sexual violence.
Most recently, Victor joined PHR and multi-sectoral delegations from Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo at a regional roundtable held in Kenya from February 25 to 27, 2015, where participants shared experiences, lessons, and best practices in the collection and management of forensic evidence for the prosecution of crimes of sexual violence. It has been moving to see the outpouring of condolences from the Kenyan and Congolese colleagues who fondly recall Victor’s team spirit, great sense of humor, and cheerfulness. We can all hardly express our shock and sorrow at the untimely death of such a young, valued, and promising member of our network. However, we remain inspired by Victor’s fervor for justice for survivors of sexual violence and will work to amplify our efforts to this end in his memory.