It’s time to act against selfish people out to ruin the republic

Lang’ata Road Primary School pupils protest grabbing of their school land in 2015. [File, Standard]

Tomorrow marks five years since the Lang’ata Road Primary School playground was reclaimed. The dramatic scenes of police officers tear-gassing unarmed children and arresting public land defenders made national and international headlines. Yet what is really remarkable about #OccupyPlayground, is what has happened since.

Half a decade on, it is easy to forget the controversy, complexity and courage of that Monday morning. The fear that paralysed the National Police Service, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Land Commission and Lands and Education Ministries when begged to act by teachers. The single tweet that drew the school’s plight to activists. The courage of pupils, parents and activists to face down armed officers, teargas and dogs for six hours and then, with their bare hands tear down the walls that had blocked access to the playground.