Three people, including a four-year-old child, on Tuesday suffered gunshot wounds after police broke up a protest by squatters in Mtwapa, Kilifi.
Police shot the child on the ribs, witnesses said.
Another victim, Karisa Baya, was shot on the neck. His colleague got a bullet in his hand.
Police blocked the rioters from taking the injured to hospital, Philip Charo said.
Cops used live bullets, attracting the anger of residents. The scene had dozens of spent cartridges.
Police arrested Shanzu MCA Samuel Ndago during the melee. He was later released on a Sh200,000 cash bail.
Police said a court order had been obtained to drive about 20 families from the disputed four acres. The land was initially six acres.
Salim Kasim told the Star his mother, Rehema, was killed in 2001 over the land.
“The parcel had been sold to her by the father of the person driving us away,” he said.
Kasim said his mother disappeared after she appeared in a court case involving the land.
“We have never recovered the deed plan she had,” he said. He said his family occupies two acres.
There was heavy police deployment when demolition started at 6am.
A house worth Sh5 million was set ablaze by the rioters in retaliation. It is not in the disputed land. Vandals stole goods from the house owned by Patrick Njega.
Njega said the house was razed down allegedly because the person who secured a court order is his tribesman.
“They vowed to punish me,” Njenga said. He said he bought the land in 2011.
“Today we are going to spend the night in the cold,” Rose Dzombo said. Her child is asthmatic.
Shanzu deputy OCS Bernard Otomei who led the police in quelling the protest said they were executing court orders.
