Clergy condemn police action on Lang'ata Road Primary School pupils

ELDORET: Clerics in the North Rift region have condemned Monday's police use of teargas against innocent pupils of Lang'ata Road Primary School in Nairobi.

Bishop Cornelius Korir of Eldoret Catholic Diocese regretted the police action terming it "unfortunate".

"Police are also parents and custodians of security in the country. They should have been sensitive to the young children by not using excessive force while dispersing demonstrators," said Korir.

Reacting to the incident Thursday, the cleric voiced concern, saying the police should have investigated those behind the grabbing of public utilities instead of using excessive force against harmless children.

The bishop also urged the Government to carry out survey work and speed up issuance of title deeds to public primary and secondary schools.

SCHOOL LAND

He said the Ministry of Education should facilitate the process of safeguarding land belonging to learning institutions.

"The only effective way to protect public utilities is to ensure that they have proper ownership documentations to stop fraudsters from grabbing them," the bishop said.

The bishop also urged leaders to seek an amicable solution to the land issue and avoid politicising the matter.

And Eldoret Diocese Anglican Church Bishop Christopher Ruto said what the police did to the young children was inhuman and "taking the country to the dark days".

"What we saw in our local television stations and newspapers is shocking because such police misbehavior was witnessed long time ago in South Africa," Ruto added.