University students condemn police brutality on protesters

Remmy Osoti, Multimedia University of Kenya(MMU)students leader,address media in  September 2024.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

University students have condemned the police brutality witnessed on Tuesday during the protest for justice following blogger Albert Ojwang’s murder.

Speaking to the media at Kenyatta Hospital on Wednesday, one of the students who had survived a gunshot from the demonstrations pleaded with President William Ruto to take control of police conduct.

 “We want you to take good control of your robots in uniform, the policemen, who swore and vowed to take good care of the citizens, but they have proven that they can be the burning problem towards the unarmed, sober, innocent citizens of Kenya”, pleaded Philip Oketch.

Oketch was shot in the neck during the Tuesday demonstrations and rushed to Kenyatta Hospital for treatment.

Oketch acknowledged the citizens' rights to demonstration, vowing to continue to fight for what he believes is the path towards democracy.

Oketch, who was still in hospital uniform, nursing the injury, said that they would not be intimidated.

“No amount of threats will threaten us, no amount of intimidation will intimidate us, the streets belong to the people, and we will go to the streets until you get out of power “, said Oketch.

On his part, Remmy Ouma, the Multimedia University students' leader, criticised the police for the brutality meted out on one of their colleagues.

Ouma warned the authorities of the recurring brutality and extrajudicial killings, urging fellow students to show solidarity in the upcoming planned protests.

“And that’s why we are saying as a group of comrades that enough is enough, and therefore we are calling upon all comrades from all the university across this nation, that in date that we are going to announce, we are going to call ourselves to the road and we are going to demand for justice,” said Ouma.

The student's remarks come a day after the demonstrations were overtaken by goons, turning chaotic.

According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, there were 22 casualties from the protest across Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale.