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Police shoot dead 10 more
protesters in day two of demos
Published on January 18, 2008, 12:00 am
By Standard Team
The toll of those whose lives were brutally brought to an end by
police rose to more than 10, on another day of mass protests
coupled with a drastic international response to the post-election
crisis.
For the second day running, members of the ODM Pentagon protesting
against the December 27 presidential election they say was rigged
were dispersed with teargas and gunfire in Nairobi as police again
resorted to force to subdue demonstrators.
Protesters block a road leading to
Kibera slums, in Nairobi, on Thursday.
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Scenes of vicious
police action were enacted in Kibera and Mathare slums in
Nairobi, Kisumu, Narok, Homa Bay and Eldoret towns.
Other places rocked by
demonstrations included Voi, Mwatate, Taveta, Nakuru, Molo,
Keringet and Litein, while Mombasa and Kakamega were
relatively calm.
On Thursday, police again chased ODM leaders from central
Nairobi and maintained a tight ring of officers around Uhuru
Park to bar them from entering.
The officers teargassed members of the public in Nairobi
streets, and clobbered people randomly — including lone
passersby who seemingly posed no threat at all.
As police heightened their crackdown on demonstrators, the
Government faced international pressure as the European
Parliament said all European budgetary aid to Kenya should be
frozen until the crisis over President Kibaki’s disputed
election is solved. |
Police condemned
In Nairobi, the Government faced severe censure and criticism from
ODM leaders led by Mr Raila Odinga and from various groups for the
brutality employed by police in dealing with the riots.
ODM accused police of arbitrary execution of peaceful
demonstrators across the country and alleged that the party
politicians were being targeted for assassination.
But Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe, while denying that the force
was using excessive force to quell mass protests, declined to
comment on the assassination claims.
The accusations’ came in the wake of the mysterious murder of a
driver for the Kasarani MP, Ms Elizabeth Ongoro, on Thursday.
And Police barred journalists from entering Kibera where more than
100 GSU officers descended into the slum’s alleys, firing bullets
and teargas.
Journalists saw police officers beating up protesters with gun
butts, kicking down doors and hurling teargas into houses.
Witnesses said they saw four bodies lying in the slum’s alleys.
In Mathare slums, two more people were shot dead.
The bodies were collected by police moments after the shooting,
amid shouting from locals who accused them of extra-judicial
killings.
Police shot dead another youth in Kisumu in a fresh flare-up,
bringing the death toll in the battered lakeside town to six in
under 24 hours.
Master Bernard Ochieng was shot dead next to the Kisumu Molasses
Plant, where protesters used tyres and electricity poles to light
bonfires barricading the Kisumu–Busia Highway.
Kiraithe also confirmed that two more people had been shot in
Kisumu as they reportedly tried to set ablaze oil tankers.
Tear gas in hospital
In Homa Bay, police chasing protesters threw teargas canisters
into the district hospital while in Eldoret, a similar police
attack was mounted against Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Thick teargas smoke wafted through wards and offices at the Moi
Teaching and Referral Hospital, choking patients.
A contingent of the GSU also opened fire from G3 rifles, sending
over 500 patients, nurses, doctors and members of staff into panic.
Nurses and security staff also said the invading force was in GSU
uniform but they did not communicate in Kiswahili and were also
asking staff to identify their tribes.
Violent drama similar to that of Wednesday was re-enacted in
Nairobi as anti-riot police teargassed some members of the ODM
Pentagon and chased them out of town.
Fumes of teargas pervaded the CBD and gunfire rattled the centre
of town as police chased away pedestrians caught unawares by the
arrival in town of the ODM team.
ODM MPs Mr William Ruto, Mr Najib Balala, Mr Ayiecho Olweny and Mr
Omingo Magara managed to drive up to Kimathi Street at about 2pm
before tens of anti-riot police spotted them.
The four walked up to Wabera Street as a crowd started building up
behind them, but were intercepted by Central Police Station OCPD
Mr Titus Kilonzi, who saw them and shouted into his walkie talkie:
"They are here!"
Anti-riot officers went running at them and hurled teargas at
their feet. They also shot several rounds of live bullets over the
MPs’ heads, with one empty catridge falling just by Ruto’s shoes.
The leaders ran towards City Hall Way where they hopped into their
vehicles. They were driven round to Kenyatta Avenue where Balala
alighted, but he was met with a cloud of teargas hurled at him.
The ODM team drove back and alighted again near the Hilton Hotel,
where they were joined by MPs Mrs Charity Ngilu, Mr Reuben Ndolo,
Mr James Orengo and Mr Joe Nyagah.
Police charged at them again and dispersed a crowd that was
milling around them. They jumped back into their cars and headed
back to Pentagon House.
Chaos ensued in downtown Nairobi as anti-riot officers turned on
crowds and chased them towards River Road.
Nairobi streets remained deserted as pedestrians scampered into
buildings or ran to safety out town.
Activist arrested
At a press conference where the ODM leaders joined Raila, they
showed television footage of an anti-riot policeman stalking two
youths and shooting them from close range, killing one.
They also displayed to the media graphic pictures of bodies of
fallen protesters bearing bullet wounds. Some of these are still
lying in various mortuaries.
There was more outrage from religious leaders, rights groups and
civil society against the police for using brutal force against
demonstrators.
The anger was summed up dramatically by a civil society activist,
Mr Okoiti Omtatah, who shocked police and Nairobians when he
chained himself to the rails of Police Headquarters at Vigilance
House to protest.
Police later managed to cut the thick chain that went round his
waist and arrested him.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) chairman, Mr
Maina Kiai, said the Commission was gathering more evidence on
Wednesday’s shootings in Kisumu.
"We are viewing and reviewing the clips of the shootings as we
gather more evidence before taking our next step," Kiai said.
In Mombasa, a human rights umbrella group said it would move to
court within seven days to institute private prosecutions against
the police for brutality and violence.
Speaking to the press in Mombasa, the Kenya Movement for Peace and
Justice, Coast Chapter, condemned the police killings and called
for an immediate inquiry into the shootings.
In a press statement read on their behalf by the Council of Imams
and Preachers of Kenya Secretary-General, Sheikh Mohammed Dor, the
society said they were infuriated by the manner in which the
police were handling protesters countrywide.
In Narok, a daughter of Narok North MP, Mr William ole Ntimama, Ms
Lydia Ntimama, was among 15 people who sustained injuries when
pro-ODM protesters clashed with police.
In Taita and Taveta districts, tension ran high as police lobbed
teargas canisters to disperse two ODM MPs and party supporters
from holding peaceful demonstration to press for justice over the
alleged flawed Presidential elections.
In Mwatate and Voi constituencies, area MPs Mr Calist Mwatela and
Mr Danson Mwazo led hundreds of the party supporters in peaceful
demonstrations but police broke up the march terming it illegal
and detrimental to security.
In Taveta, ODM supporters also held a protest march but police
dispersed the group.
Police fired several teargas canisters and engaged ODM supporters
in running battles as business people hurriedly closed their
business for fear of looting.
At the same time 15 Party of National Union MPs condemned the mass
action, saying ODM’s call for the protests was aimed at attracting
sympathy and the attention of the international community and
donors for political expediency.
They accused the ODM leadership of being insensitive and not
caring for Kenyans.
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