Chaos, mayhem in Kisumu as Azimio claims 3 dead in Nairobi

Business came to a standstill across Nairobi and Kisumu on Monday as police engaged Azimio protesters in running battles with several properties destroyed in the lakeside city.

In Nairobi, Oopposition MPs claimed police shot dead three of their supporters – two in Kibra and one at Jacaranda grounds in Embakasi East constituency.

However, the Star could not independently verify these claims.

Amongst the properties damaged in Kisumu was the UDA Kisumu county office, which was vandalised and two vehicles torched in the process.

Two other vehicles and property of unknown value were also destroyed within the UDA premises.

Along the Jomo Kenyatta Highway, Sarova Imperial Hotel was damaged after stones thrown by demonstrators crashed the facility's glass windows.

The protesters started vandalising some of the properties, leaving a trail of destruction after their attempt to access the Kisumu State Lodge were thwarted by police.

Quickmatt supermarket in Kisumu also had its windows crashed.

One of the clubs within Kisumu was also looted, even as the owners brought in people to protect the joint.

In front of the Agah Khan Primary School, residents vandalised some some of the barriers put in place along the road.

The residents had from morning hours engaged the officers in running battles for more than five hours.

At some point, police officers were forced to scamper for safety after residents resorted to stone-throwing.

The officers left in a lorry and a land cruiser while residents followed them as they pelted stones towards the police vehicles.

Kisumu Govenor Anyang' Nyong’o condemned the looting, saying some criminal elements had hijacked the demos to further their mission.

Some protestors were seen uprooting and walking away with road signage from the streets.

The lawmakers – without giving evidence – claimed two protestors were killed at Kibra and one killed at Jacaranda grounds in Embakasi East constituency.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino made the claims when a section of opposition MPs addressed a midday press conference at Parliament buildings. He accused the government of misusing the police.

“I condemn the killing of our supporters. Somebody has been shot at Jacaranda in Embakasi East constituency and two people have been killed in Kibra constituency. Ruto talked about not misusing the police, but what are we seeing?” the MP said. 

The Star could not however independently ascertain the claims of police shooting.

The MPs were mainly drawn from Raila’s ODM, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party and Eugene Wamalwa’s DAP-K, and were led by Senate Deputy Minority Whip Edwin Sifuna and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohammed.

National Assembly Deputy Minority leader Robert Mbui accused the President and his deputy of being combative even at a time reason should prevail.

“Out of the brutality of the police, it is possible that we may have lost lives. We have been categorical that we want peaceful demonstrations. It is always the police that come with violence. It is unfortunate and this has to be condemned,” Mbui said.

But speaking in Mombasa, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said there were no deaths or destruction of properties as a result of the Monday’s mass actions.

“No life has been lost, no property destroyed. We urge the people of Kenya not to be incited to violence. It is not good for the country,” Rigathi said.

Junet accused the police of unnecessarily provoking peaceful protestors, even he promised an escalation with the government.

“You saw them in their number to beat and harass peaceful Kenyans going about their constitutional duty. We will not relent. In fact, their overbearing [action] serves to motivate our resolve to save Kenyans from the Kenya Kwanza misrule,” Junet said.

“This is just the beginning, we will not relent. This is just the beginning. I want to congratulate you because at least now you are using the taxpayers money wisely. Please buy more teargas we need them. We are still preparing. We will not relent just because of teargas and bullets. We will fight back. If you fight us we will fight back,” added Babu Owino.

Sifuna too condemned the police for alleged use of brutal force in dealing with the “peaceful demonstrators.”

“We said we do not want the police to interfere with us, if they would have allowed us to conduct our demonstration in the manner in which we had anticipated, by now we would have gotten to State House and we would have finished our business and the country would have resumed to normalcy,” the senator said.