Police accused of shooting innocent residents in demonstrations

One of the victims who was shot by police officers during National Super Alliance (NASA) demonstrations in Kisumu after being admitted at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referal hospital on October 13 ,2017. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

Jennifer Anyango, 73, winces as she reminisces on events of last Friday when she got caught up in running battles between the police and protesters in Migori town.

Anyango, a resident of Gem in Siaya County, had gone to visit her daughter in Migori to seek medical help.

She left the hospital after being treated and took a boda boda back to the house, planning to travel back to Siaya the following day.

Those plans were, however, disrupted when a bullet caught her in the shoulder as the police engaged protesters demonstrating the anti-Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

“At this age, can I leave my house to go for demonstrations? Why would people I can call my children do this to me?” posed Anyango who was treated at Ombo Mission Hospital.

DOZENS INJURED

Protests called by the National Super Alliance (NASA) to push for reforms at the electoral commission have left dozens injured, among them some that have suffered bullet wounds. There have also been reports of at least five people shot dead.

Last Friday presented the worst scenario which saw three people shot dead in Bondo while several others were left with injuries in Nairobi, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori among other Opposition strongholds.

John Kisia, 72, had been in Migori town to book a vehicle to Nairobi to be part of the family delegation to receive the the body of their kin at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Kisia had his bus ticket, but had to miss the journey following injuries he sustained after he was clobbered by the police “for being a protester”.

“I wonder what harm I could pose to the armed police that they had to beat me this much,” he said.

In Kisumu, school children have become victims of the police actions, with two cases involving nursery school pupils. On October 3, children at St Peter’s Awich Kodingo Early Childhood Development were allegedly tear-gassed by anti-riot police who were “flushing out demonstrators from their hideouts”. School head Eunice Odhiambo said at least 20 children were treated for choking on teargas fumes.

“I told the officers that this was a school and we had young children but they didn’t stop. One of them jumped into the compound and threw the third canister at us,” said Odhiambo.

A Form Three student at Sacred Heard Academy in Kisumu, and another Standard Six boy at Kibuye Mixed Primary School also fell victim to police actions.

The Kibuye pupil was hit by a tuk tuk as he escaped from the police, who lobbed teargas at demonstrators in front of their school while the Form Three student was treated for choking caused by teargas fumes when the police threw a teargas canister in their school.

Her father had to brave the violent streets of Kisumu on a boda boda from Nyalenda to Kibuye, five kilometres away, to pick his daughter and take her to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital after she was abandoned by both the police and the demonstrators.

And three-month pregnant Jackline Anyango still fears for her pregnancy after she was clobbered by the police on her way to the clinic. In Siaya, a Standard Six pupil was among three people shot dead by the police during the Friday demos.

PUPIL SHOT

The pupil, Edward Antony Ochieng, 15, was allegedly felled by a bullet, some 100 metres from Bondo Police Station.

Others killed were Mourice Otieno Okumu, 31, and  Stephen Omondi Oduor, 23.

Ochieng’s  father, Mathews  Odhiambo, said his son who was a pupil at a school in North Kisumu location had travelled to Bondo to visit his sister.

“Eddy was not part of the demonstrators as police claim. He was shot as he was crossing the road for his safety, “ the victim’s sister, Diana Ochieng’,  told The Standard.

According to Bondo OCPD Paul Kiarie, the victims were part of rowdy demonstrators who attacked Bondo Police Station.

He said attempts to disperse the protesters using teargas were rendered futile, forcing him to call for reinforcement from Usenge.