POLICE BRUTALITY

Malindi MP condemns shooting of bodaboda operator

She said it is painful to parents, society and the whole nation for one to lose life.

In Summary
  • The legislator said police are supposed to protect citizens with guns not to turn the riffles to innocent people.
  • Mnyazi spoke at Langobaya in her constituency after meeting with village elders to give them Christmas gifts.
Jilore Ward MCA Hamisi Jambo looks on as Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi hands over christmas gifts to village elders from Jilore ward in her constituency
Jilore Ward MCA Hamisi Jambo looks on as Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi hands over christmas gifts to village elders from Jilore ward in her constituency
Image: ALPHONCE GARI

Malindi Member of Parliament Amina Mnyazi has condemned the shooting to death of a bodaboda operator on Friday night at the entrance of Malindi airport terming the incident uncalled for.

The legislator said police are supposed to protect citizens with guns not to turn the riffles to innocent people.

Mnyazi spoke at Langobaya in her constituency after meeting with village elders to give them Christmas gifts.

In an interview, she said there have been so many cases of suicide, and killings within the police force which are alarming and putting the lives of not only the police officers but innocent civilians at risk.

 

“As you are aware there was an incident that took place at the gate of Malindi airport where a police officer engaged in confrontation and later shot the bodaboda operator three times killing him on the spot,” she said.

The MP said the slain 20-year-old bodaboda operator had a wife with two children; one aged five and the other one still breastfeeding.

She said it is painful to parents, society and the whole nation for one to lose their life for no reason at all.

Mnyazi said they are currently on recess but will pursue the matter fully in parliament and called on the security agencies to conduct speedy investigations to establish the truth of the matter of what caused the shooting.

Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi during a meeting with village elders from Jilore ward in her constituency where she gave out christmas gifts to them
Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi during a meeting with village elders from Jilore ward in her constituency where she gave out christmas gifts to them
Image: ALPHONCE GARI

The police officer who is accused of shooting dead the bodaboda operator died by suicide after turning the trigger on himself.

“These cases of extra-judicial killings have become rampant these days and we cannot accept as Kenyans to head into that direction,” she said.

Mnyazi said she was also concerned about the mindset of the police officers in the manner in which they kill themselves, and their wives.

She called for action to be taken to address the problems facing them.

Mnyazi was accompanied by Shella Ward MCA Twahir Abdulkarim and his Jilore counterpart Hamisi Jambo who also condemned the cold-blood shooting.

Abdulkarim said the incidents happening within the police force shows that there are a lot of mental health problems or drunkenness among the security officers which need to be addressed.

He said it was unfortunate that both the bodaboda operator and the police officer  lost their lives

“We know our men in uniform are insured and their families will be taken care of. We cannot bring back the lives of those who died but the family of the boy who died is upon the government to support them because he was killed by a government gun,” she said.

He said the bodaboda was killed for demanding his money adding that it was wrong for the boy to be shot dead.

On his part, Jambo said the killing was not justified because the police officers are supposed to protect the lives of the people.

“What happens put us in fear because we have people who are supposed to protect us but they are the same ones who are turning against us. Our prayer is for the family of the one who lost his life to get justice,” he said.

On Friday night, tension was high in Malindi after the police officer shot to death the boda-boda operator who was reportedly demanding money after carrying the officer.

Residents and bodaboda operators protested against the brutal murder terming it an unfortunate and sad incident.

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