Azimio demands justice as slain Maseno university student is buried

Opposition leaders on Wednesday called for the arrest of a police officer who shot and killed a third-year student at Maseno University.

Governor Anyan'g Nyong'o, who represented Azimio leader Raila Odinga at the burial of William Mayange at their home in Nyamira gave the police a one-week ultimatum to effect the arrest.

The third-year student was shot during the peaceful demonstrations that turned violent on March 20.

His burial was attended by other Azimio leaders, among them the Kisii governor Simba Arati.

"It is with heavy hearts and sorrow that we are gathered here to bid farewell to William, a young Kenyan whose promising life has been brutally cut short by a heartless and trigger-happy police officer," Nyong'o said.

"I bring to the family and the people of Nyamira messages of condolence and sorrow from the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance," he said

The governor said the opposition coalition was deeply saddened by the death of the student whom he described as a young patriotic Kenyan.

He said that like many Kenyans, the Azimio leadership is angry and stunned by the killing of the University student.

"The innocent student would be in class now, studying for his exams. I have personally asked many questions concerning William’s killing and will continue to do so," he said.

Nyong'o wondered why the police officer singled out William who at the time of the killing was a harmless student taking part in a peaceful demonstration.

" Why did the police officer use live bullets instead of rubber bullets or tear gas? Why has this officer not been arrested? When will Evelyn and Joash get justice for their son?" he quipped.

Evelyn and Joash are the parents of the slain student. He said as Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance, they demand justice for the young man.

"We demand that the officer who killed him be arrested and charged in court within the next Seven Days," he said.

Nyong'o said the police do not need any investigations to get the killer officer because the shooting occurred in broad daylight.

He claimed that on-lookers and the deceased's colleagues saw the shooting happen and they know who opened fire on the students.

" Dear Kenyans, it is worth noting that William’s killing coincided with our countrywide demonstrations. We have been demanding a stop to electoral fraud and the rising cost of Living," Nyong'o said.

He noted that the Azimio leadership has been seeking a transparent process in selecting the new officers to form a non-partisan IEBC ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Last Sunday, the Azimio leadership called off the weekly demonstrations to give dialogue a chance.

Nyong'o however, emphasized that the principles on which Azimio anchored its street protests remain the same.

"We have not withdrawn our demand for the opening of the servers to confirm the true outcome of the August 2022 Presidential elections," he said.

He said opposition leaders are not interested in a political handshake as claimed by their opponents in government.

"We are willing to honestly discuss the state of our country and these discussions must be honest and above board and with clean hands," he noted.

Nyong'o said that the opposition had asked for dialogue to discuss the pertinent issues but was answered by chest-thumping and what he described as a cowardly show of bravado by their opponents.

"We were pushed to express our views through demonstrations and picketing which is clearly provided for in our supreme laws," he said.

Despite holding peaceful demonstrations to express their anger at the direction that the government is heading, Nyong'o said they were met with extreme provocations and attacks.

"The brutal attacks by the police force have led to the kind of loss we have today," he said.

The governor said they are not happy with the manner in which the Kenya Kwanza government is running the country.

He noted that the rising cost of living continues to deprive the people of dignified livelihoods.

He demanded that the government reintroduces the subsidies implemented by President Uhuru to cushion Kenyans from the hard economic times being experienced.

"We are seeing an insatiable appetite by the government to continue taxing wanjiku who is already overtaxed," he said.

"How can the government claim to be forward-looking in creating wealth while a key economic driver – electricity, is subjected to unreasonable taxation every other day? We are saying that this madness must stop."