NAIROBI: The teargasing of Lang'ata Road Primary School pupils who were protesting the grabbing of their playground and inaction of the Government that followed made news across the world, but locally the number of people brimming with frustration and anger over the excesses of unwarranted violence from our own police force is legendary.
From the onset, we would like to make it clear that we do not support involving pupils in protest marches or pulling down walls, whether legally or illegally erected. No parent enjoys watching their child standing precariously behind a collapsing wall.
It is in the same breath that we condemn the action the police took on the pupils. In other jurisdictions, such cases often result in the concerned officers stepping down.
It is good that the officer who was in charge of that operation, Lang'ata OCPD Elijah Mwangi, has been suspended, but that consolation is not enough. It's clear that there are many officers out there primed to make the same mistakes.
The promulgation of the Constitution in 2010 gave Kenyans rights and liberties, some of which the citizenry is yet to enjoy. It is unfortunate that the police service has refused to take cognisance of the law and continues to act like the dreaded force that spread terror during the days of single party rule.
The bestiality meted out on the school children on Monday by members of a police force which includes parents, is unacceptable.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has come out to condemn the matter, a fact that should be appreciated by those who wish our country well. When the Government acknowledges that it did wrong, it makes it easier to find a solution.
Hurling tear gas canisters at unarmed and defenseless primary school children who are protecting what is their constitutional right cannot be excused.
Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero says that in Nairobi, there are 205 primary schools and 84 secondary schools. 60 per cent of these schools, he says, don't have title deeds to the land they are built.
He says the county government is working together with the Ministry of Lands and the National Land Commission (NLC) to give title deeds to these schools and make sure they are fenced to deter land grabbers.
Some NLC officials have publicly stated that there are no titles for the majority of public land that belongs to public schools. This makes it an easy target for land grabbers.
Corruption and raw greed have seen the affluent in society attempt to grab land that belongs to schools and other Government institutions, in their selfish urge for self-aggrandisement and to make money regardless of the consequences.
Learning cannot be complete if not tempered with play, hence the appropriateness of the adage that 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. The Government must ensure schools have playgrounds and protect their right to have them.
Understandably, though the police action was despicable and violated the rights of children and other provisions of the Constitution, children should not be used to settle scores of whatever manner.
The action taken by the Government to suspend the police officer who led the raid is not enough. There is need to give title deeds to public schools to secure their land in order to avoid a recurrence of similar scenarios.
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The developer will likely claim to have a title deed to the property, in which case the County Government of Nairobi and the Lands ministry must come out to clearly state how this became possible.
Corruption is slowly grinding this country to a halt and it is worrisome that the Government can only issue sterile threats while the vice continues to grow.
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