Kenya’s interior minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, has denied that the police used excessive force during recent protests, describing them as “terrorism disguised as dissent” and an “unconstitutional attempt” to change the government. At least 10 people were killed, with over 400 others injured in the violence.
Murkomen credited security agencies for helping to foil what he described as an “attempted coup”, but condemned the violent actions of criminal anarchists who participated in the protests. Key government installations and offices were targeted, with nine police stations attacked and five guns stolen.
The situation is being investigated, but human rights groups have already criticized the actions of the police and state, citing unnecessary aggression and brute force that led to senseless loss of life.
In one incident, a 19-year-old blogger was shot dead in Nairobi’s Mukuru informal settlement, while another teenager was killed in Molo, about 170km north-west of Nairobi. The government has banned live TV and radio coverage of the protests, but the decree was overturned by the Nairobi High Court.
Rights groups have condemned the actions of the police and state, with Amnesty International putting the death toll at 16. The Law Society of Kenya has also criticized the use of force, stating that it led to “unnecessary aggression” and “senseless loss of life”.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjwn257j7y2o