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Outrage as Police Open Fire on Medical Protesters
The Kenyan section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has strongly condemned the use of excessive force by police officers against peaceful protestors gathered outside the Ministry of Health headquarters on Thursday. The demonstration, organized by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU), was held to protest delays in the posting of medical interns.
The peaceful protest took a tragic turn when police reportedly opened fire on the crowd, injuring KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah. This incident sparked outrage and raised serious concerns about the violation of fundamental human rights in Kenya.
Protas Saende, Chairman of ICJ Kenya, labeled the police response a “grave violation of fundamental human rights.” He pointed out that the use of unjustifiable violence against peaceful protestors contradicts Kenya’s commitment to democracy and its citizens’ rights enshrined in the Constitution and international law.
The ICJ statement emphasized the vital role of peaceful assemblies in allowing citizens to express their grievances and engage in public dialogue, and urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to launch an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident, ensuring accountability for those responsible.
ICJ Kenya further called for the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute the involved officers to the full extent of the law, potentially invoking the principle of command responsibility. Additionally, they demanded a public apology from Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki and Police Inspector General Japhet Koome, along with a firm commitment to preventing future instances of police brutality and ensuring proper consequences for those who violate the law.
St. Andrews Turi Workers Electrocuted, Hospitalized
Four male employees at St. Andrews School, Turi, in Molo, Nakuru County, are recovering from severe burns sustained in an electrical accident on Tuesday.
The men, aged between 50 and 60, were reportedly moving a tent on the school grounds when it came into contact with a high-voltage power line. They were seriously injured in the incident.
Police officers from the Molo Police Station, led by Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Johnson Lemuna, along with representatives from Kenya Power, the national electricity provider, visited the accident scene and then went to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Molo to meet with the injured men. Their investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.
According to a medical report from St. Joseph’s Hospital obtained by Citizen Digital, the four men sustained burns on their chests and legs. Two of the men are 60 years old, while the other two are 58 and 50 years old.
The school administration did not commented on the incident.
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