The Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome the police handled yesterday’s Azmio One Kenya Coalition protesters professionally despite the provocation.
The police leadership in the country has condemned the unwarranted violence meted against officers that were deployed to maintain law and order during Monday’s protests.
While commending the officers, Koome said a total of 238 illegal demonstrators; 213 in Nairobi and 25 in Nyanza were arrested and a total of 31 police officers injured.
Also, the IG noted that ten police vehicles were damaged.
“We want to remind members of public that no one is above the law. Instead, there is a slippery slope between freedom of assembly, picketing, and petitioning as enshrined in Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, and the blatant infringement of the rights of others as we saw in yesterday’s unlawful demonstrations.” Koome said adding that the National Police Service always strives to remain politically impartial.
The IG accused the oppositionleaders and their supporters for staging illegal protests in Nairobi and Kisumu cities while purporting to protest the high cost of living while in actual sense, their sole aim was to invade the State House.
“We therefore condemn in the strongest terms possible, the unwarranted violence that was meted against our Officers discharging their official duties.” The IG added.
Meanwhile, another student from Maseno University student was shot and injured during daylong protests today demonstrating over the killing of a Third Year student during yesterday’s protests.
The late William Mayenga was a Literature student.
Today, students went on a rampage closing the Busia-Kisumu highway temporarily thus disrupting traffic flow.
Mayenga parents decried that their son was killed like a bandit.