Police not justified in ruthlessly beating comrades

What is your addiction? This is a question that constantly not only makes me ponder, but also makes me question my morality.

The same applies to the 7.4 billion human beings residing in our beautiful world. Well, the universe both differs and agrees with this notion.

The Homo sapiens are always competing for natural resources due to the role of natural selection in both our galaxy and the rest of the universe. Well, at least according to Charles Darwin.

We are born in this world crying, genetically ready and prepared for the troubles of this world. Blood diamonds in Sierra Leone for example made millions of innocent children perish due to the use of child labor.

In Kenya, many died in the aftermath of the 2007 elections by which the vibrant youth were used.

That sparked a series of events, right after the issue was solved, whereby youth empowerment was used as a tool for elections which led to another conflict, This is when the leader who lost in the previous 2007 elections lost again.

This time however, it wasn’t as bad as the first one, since the nation had sealed wounds attained from experience. For this I am proud of my country men, displaying a great deal of nationalism and patriotism.

Police reforms were vouched for and later implemented. How well they worked or still work is a matter of discussion.

Let´s look at the facts. The Kenya police still ranks as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country even after the so called police reforms.

It is really saddening to the average mwananchi who saw so much effort put into the enforcement of the police reforms.

Only some months later, a police in uniform and on duty stops him on the highway. The reason: The windscreen looks suspicious.

Somewhat like one of a crime described the previous night where it was scratched on diagonally. Well, the unsuspecting citizen agrees to a search without a search warrant issued.

The officer requests for the necessary documents which are duly provided. The citizen is let to go after kulipa pesa ya chai ya askari.

The situation hit the tip of the iceberg when very recently, a group of students were brutally harassed, molested and beaten close to death.

What disheartens me is the fact that these people represent the future of our society. The leaders of tomorrow. The fresh young minds that are yet to come up with mind blowing innovations set to better our lives in this world. Well, it might seem like a light matter to many until they imagine their children in the same situation. But that is just the half of it.

Allegations emerged that some women became unfortunate victims of rape, all in an attempt to “teach this unruly comrades a lesson”.

Am I being unfair to the police? Well, one could look at the facts themselves and decide whether my concern for my country is a little bit farfetched.

Were the students unruly after their elections? Yes. Were they responsible for the looting happening in the city? They were.

Did the police seem powerless to them? They did. Does this justify the ruthless beatings with clubs? Well, no matter what anyone would try to convince me, it does not whatsoever.

In any case, the same happened during the 2007 elections. I do not recall seeing the police or GSU beating up the politicians nor do I have any recollection of the politicians suffering for what they brought upon us. They made tribal divisions that fueled hate among communities.

The issue that bothers me the most is the way the matter is treated lightly, like students are clobbered every day!

Like it is the daily way of life! It´s time to say enough is enough! We need to start changing our way of thinking.

The student wakes up, goes to school to attain knowledge which he hopes will make him succeed.

Not only that. It will make him realize his purpose. Make his dreams come true. That mansion in Westlands, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kajiado… etc.

But in a few months he is introduced to a fast life. Where one has to study, work and support himself all at the same time.

He then decided to work at a club, doing late shifts. In the club he sees people getting arrested every day, and is petrified by the stories he’s told about the Kamiti cells and the police stations.

A riot breaks out, shops are looted. As a law abiding citizen, he stays at his house, to avoid any connection with the so called ‘unruly’ students.

Later in the day though, he has to pick up an assignment from a friend in town. A riot unfortunately breaks out. Again.

Although this time he cannot avoid it or hide from it. Students are rounded up. They are told to lie down.

To their astonishment, they find themselves being clobbered, whipped and beaten. Many are injured.

A particular student passes out. One dies. A group of ladies are taken away separately. Everyone thought they were released but after everything had cooled down, a number of ladies sought help from hospitals due to rape on the same day.

John would not be able to do his normal night shift today because he can barely walk. All because of some elections.

A student previously full of love and enthusiasm, now ends up in the streets a day later throwing back stones at the police.

Should we blame him? Should we castigate or judge him after that? If he dies in the riots, should we use that as an excuse to sheer away the guilt we all feel in our hearts? It is funny how guilt can change our emotion.

Anyway, I pray that the comrades will find it within their hearts to forgive. We need to stay together as a nation to solve major problems like unemployment that is really rampant in our country.

We need to fight corruption. We have to join forces. Umoja ni nguvu, utengano ni dhaifu! Jifya moja haliinjiki chungu. We however, cannot take this any longer. We have given so many free passes.

To our politicians. To our police. We need to steer our own future. Doctors, pilots, bankers, engineers, artists, innovators, lawyers. The list is endless.

All in all, we need to love one another as countrymen. Love above all. Above religious differences, above age, above tribal differences and most importantly above our selfish desires and addictions.