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Kenya counts losses
Published on January 19, 2008, 12:00 am
By Saturday Standard Team
About two kilometres of Kenya-Uganda Railway line was uprooted in
Nairobi’s Kibera’s slums on the final day of mass action as more
deaths and violent confrontations took place.
The feeder line into landlocked Uganda was yanked off the ground
as police said 82 of 510 so far killed in the post-election
violence died in the hands of the police.
The figure given by the police, whose spokesman said has been
using live bullets because of a shortage of rubber ones, excluded
the seven killed on Friday.
It was another day of gunshots and teargas in Eldoret, Kisumu,
Homa Bay, Mombasa, Narok, Busia and Nairobi as President Kibaki
named a reconciliation team, which Vice- President Mr Kalonzo
Musyoka, leads.
Members of the Government team expected to dialogue with the
Orange Democratic Movement are Cabinet ministers Prof George
Saitoti (Internal security), Ms Martha Karua (Justice), Mr Amos
Kimunya (Finance), Mr Uhuru Kenyatta (Local Government), Mr Chirau
Ali Mwakwere (Transport), Mr Moses Wetangula (Foreign), and
Attorney General, Mr Amos Wako.
The confrontation between police and Muslim faithful in Mombasa
and Nairobi ensued as formal communication came the African Union
mediators Mr Kofi Annan and Mrs Graca Machel arrive on Tuesday.
Caught by the police bullet in Kibera was a primary school girl,
13. Demonstrations disrupted business in Nairobi, Mombasa and
Kisumu as death toll from post-election violence soared.
Rioters in Kibera vent their anger on the main railway line that
cuts across the slum to western Kenya and pulled it off the tracks.
Police shot dead four people in the slums, one in Mombasa and two
in Narok as they suppressed peaceful demonstrations.
Four other people died in Narok in clashes involving members of
two communities, while youths in Molo ambushed a police van and
shot one officer dead, with an arrow.
Mayhem was most intense in Kibera where police shot dead the
13-year-old from Lwanga Primary School, as she sat in her house on
Laini Saba. She was cowering from the chaos outside.
A boy, Brian Oluoch, 12, was also shot and injured. He was
undergoing treatment last night at Masaba Hospital.
ODM leader Mr Raila Odinga whose Lang’ata constituency, Kibera
falls visited the hospital last evening. He saw four bodies and
condemned the police shootings of demonstrators, saying it was
brutal and oppressive.
Annan, whose trip last week was postponed after he went down with
flu, is to team up with Graca Machel and former Tanzanian
president Mr Benjamin Mkapa, who is in the country.
Raila, who met Mkapa, said later his party would negotiate with
Kibaki’s team through an international mediator.
Kalonzo also held talks with members of Africa Forum for Peace
Mission.
Led by former Mozambican president Joachim Chissano the peace
mission members included Mkapa and former Botswana president, Sir
Ketumile Masire.
The Vice-Presidential Press Service reported that Kalonzo briefed
them on the efforts the Government is making to restore peace and
disclosed plans to establish a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation
Commission. Eighty Party of National Unity MPs met and also
proposed such a commission to help re-unite the country after the
post-election falling out.
Gunfire and tear gas pervaded the alleys of Kibera slum as
contingents of anti-riot police moved in and charged into crowds
that had gathered since morning protesting along the railway line,
and destroying tracks.
Narok also soaked the brunt of the violence as members of one
community turned on another and killed three people. Police who
moved in to quell the fighting at Majengo area shot dead two
people.
Running battles
In Nairobi, the streets around the centre of town were scenes of
running battles for the third day running as police dispersed ODM
leaders who tried to march to Uhuru Park.
Ugenya MP, Mr James Orengo and Likoni MP Mahsud Mwahima were tear
gassed as they tried to lead a crowd to Uhuru Park.
Veteran politician Martin Shikuku was arrested, but later released,
as he joined the demonstrators.
In Mombasa, police shot dead one demonstrator as chaos rocked the
town shortly after the lunchtime prayers.
ODM Pentagon member, Mr Najib Balala, who led the demonstrators,
complained to police that they were shooting wananchi, who were
peaceful.
In Kisumu supporters of ODM engaged anti-riot police officers in
running battles during the third day of mass action in the town.
But for the first time, since the protests began, no killings were
reported in the town, as police only shot in the air to scare
demonstrators.
Police headquarters termed as ‘unfortunate’ an incident in which
an anti-riot officer was captured on camera shooting two unarmed
protestors in Kisumu, killing one.
The officer, according to police spokesman Eric Kiraithe, has
reportedly been "temporarily interdicted" pending the outcome of
investigation.
In Eldoret, tension reigned after wananchi suspected a GK vehicle
was carrying Ugandan Security personnel.
Angry residents who claim some Ugandan soldiers were in the
country blocked the Eldoret–Nakuru highway and with assistance
from a senior GSU officer from Nairobi, established the vehicle
had no Ugandans.
In Molo armed youths ambushed a contingent of security personnel
in Molo and killed an officer, as post-polls violence escalated.
At the same time, police in Nakuru town arrested ODM leader Pastor
Mike Brawan for allegedly inciting the public to violence. Heads
of diplomatic missions from nine countries protested the police
killings and use of excessive force.
The United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, The
Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland urged the Government
to investigate and bring charges on those concerned.
"We have seen clear and disturbing footage of the use of lethal
force on unarmed demonstrators. Where Kenyan authorities or other
agents have evidence of violence being instigated and carried out
by whatever party, we urge that efforts be made to investigate and
to bring charges against those concerned," they said in statement.
The Kenya Red Cross called for continued support in donations,
saying the crisis of displaced people continued to soar.
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