Counting the cost: Death and destruction as anti government demonstrators hold protests

Nicholas Kigondu
3 Min Read

While most of the country remained calm on Wednesday, some regions were characterized by chaos amid reports of fatalities and looting sprees.

Drama unfolded in Kitengela as demonstrators attacked the area police station before heading to the assistant county commissioner’s office where they vandalized the office. The chief’s office was destroyed during the pandemonium as well as an armory belonging to administration police. Thousands of uncollected identity cards were destroyed. The demonstrators also broke into the Kitengela Eastmatt Supermarket carting away goods.

Three people were injured during the skirmishes with police forced to use live ammunition to disperse the rioters.

In Emali town, one person was shot dead and a police vehicle torched by demonstrators during Wednesday’s antigovernment protests.

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This as attempts by Ukambani politicians, led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, to lead demos in Wote Town were thwarted by police officers who lobbed tear gas to disperse their supporters.

In Migori, one person was shot dead following violent confrontations between police and demonstrators.

The Nairobi expressway was not spared by the anti-government protesters who engaged in looting and destruction of property along the critical infrastructure at Mlolongo forcing temporal closure of the expressway.

Police used teargas to disperse antigovernment protesters in Homa Bay town with demonstrations in Busia led by ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya and Roots party leader George Wajackoyah suffering a similar fate.

In Nakuru, sections of Nakuru West and Nakuru East also witnessed protests while police lobbed teargas to disperse Martha Karua, Jeremiah Kioni and Peter Munya who were headed to Muthara market in Tigania East.

The chaos left some school going children stranded with some schools opting to suspend transport services to parts of Nairobi city.

With police restraining assembly at the Kamukunji grounds in the city centre, protesters engaged with police with a KBC crew that was covering proceedings attacked during the mayhem, in the process losing personal property including mobile phones.

Azimio leader Raila Odinga would later cancel the Kamukunji rally, citing intelligence reports of armed criminals out to attack Azimio leaders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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