Students caught up in police, protestors running battles

Students of Kimathi Secondary School in Lake View Estate being assisted after tear gas canisters lobbed by police during protest landed on school grounds on January 23, 2025. Twenty students were hospitalized. The angry youth were protesting the disappearance of Brian Odhiambo, who was arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service officers on Saturday and taken to Lake Nakuru National Park. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] A tense moment engulfed Kimathi Secondary School in Lake View Estate in Nakuru East after police lobed teargas at learners while attempting to disperse protestors demonstrating against the disappearance of a man. At least 20 students were affected by the smoke and had to be rushed to Langa Langa sub-county hospital with breathing difficulties. The students were taking their afternoon lessons when police officers who were engaging the protestors lobbed teargas in an attempt to disperse them. Elijah Maina who was among those who rushed the students to the hospital had his car's rear mirror smashed by the protesters. "My rear mirrors have been broken by protesters as I attempted to rush students to the hospital, they had difficulty breathing due to the smoke from the teargas," said Maina The aggrieved youths are protesting against the disappearance of 31-year-old Brian Odhiambo who was picked and dragged into Lake Nakuru National Park by Kenya Wildlife Service rangers five days ago. The protesters also set ablaze part of the park and vandalized the electric fence surrounding it. The aggrieved youths have promised to continue with the protests every day until they produce Brian Otieno whether alive or dead. They have been protesting for the last 4 days. "We are tired of being harassed by the rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service, we are fishing in the park because we left crime and have transformed because of fishing, they have killed Brian let them give us the body, "said one of the youths. Students of Kimathi Secondary School in Lake View Estate being assisted after tear gas canisters lobbed by police during protest landed on school grounds on January 23, 2025. Twenty students were hospitalized. The angry youth were protesting the disappearance of Brian Odhiambo, who was arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service officers on Saturday and taken to Lake Nakuru National Park. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] Nakuru MP David Gikara has also expressed his concerns about the silence from the Kenya Wildlife Service in addressing the disappearance of Brian Odhiambo. "Brian has been missing for 6 days now KWS confirmed they took him, he was a reformed confirm gang member, and although it is illegal fishing has reduced crime. He was only trying to fend for his family. Let them give as Brian," Gikaria said. The MP also said he had taken 3 Bills in parliament that if it goes through would allow fishing at Lake Nakuru. "I have taken three bills to parliament to allow these young men fish in the lake at the Lake because as it is the park is a protected area and it is illegal to access the park because it's a Rhino sanctuary that does not allow the rangers to take away someone," said Gikaria. The Independent Medco Legal Unit, a human rights organization, has also filed a petition filed at the High Court of Nakuru seeking the release of Brian Odhiambo. IMLU and Brian's mother Elizabeth Ouma in the petition claim the officer in charge of the park has failed to produce him or disclose his whereabouts. The DCIO Nakuru East, the Officer-in-charge of Lake Nakuru National Park, The Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Attorney General are listed as respondents in the case. Nakuru East sub-county DCIO Samuel Ngeiywo confirmed the arrest of six Kenya Wildlife Service Rangers who are since being investigated in connection to Odhiambo's disappearance. "We have arrested 6 Kenya Wildlife officers and I can confirm that they are in custody and are being investigated. Once we are done with the investigations the suspects will be arraigned in court soon, "said Ngeiywo

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