Philip Mwakio And Vitalis Kimutai
17 January 2008
Nairobi — Two civil society protesters were beaten by police and are undergoing treatment in a Mombasa hospital.
They suffered multiple fractures after police pounced on them as they converged at Kengeleni, Mombasa mainland North.
Mr Khalid Hussein, the programmes co-ordinator with Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) lobby group, told The Standard from his Aga Khan Hospital bed that he had been hit on the back, waist and left leg.
"We had converged at Kengeleni and were engaging police in a discussion when they turned against us with rungus," Khalid, who was in pain, said.
Ms Betty Sharon, an activist, was also in the same hospital with injuries on the arm and leg.
"This is not going to make us give up. We shall protest against the flawed presidential election results until time justice prevailed," she vowed.
The Secretary-General of Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK), Sheikh Mohamed Dor, was at the hospital to console them.
"The police use of excessive force against citizens demonstrating over a just move is uncalled for," Dor said.
Elsewhere, three other members of the Coast Human Rights Network were arrested and locked up at the Nyali Police Station.
Mombasa advocate, Mr Yusuf Abubakar, gave the names of the three as Ms Milicent Odhiambo, Ms Khadija Swaleh and Mr Mwinyi Burdai.
Police impounded a saloon car the three were in. They were arrested for allegedly taking part in an outlawed demonstration in the town.
Meanwhile, police in Kericho lobbed teargas canisters at a group of demonstrators. Riot police dispersed ODM supporters who had gathered at the town centre in the morning, disrupting business.
Mr Patrick Bett, a businessman in the town, said: "We could not open because of fear of attack. The demonstrators looted business premises and torched houses and goods only two weeks ago," he said.
The Kericho Green Stadium, the venue of the proposed rally, was a no-go zone as police cordoned it off as early as 7am.
All major roads were deserted as matatu operators and private vehicle owners withdrew their vehicles from the roads.
Those plying the Kericho-Nakuru, Kericho-Kisumu and Kericho-Kisii highways hang twigs on vehicles to avoid being pelted with stones by demonstrators.
In Bomet District, it was business as usual and no demonstrators turned up at Bomet Green Stadium, the proposed venue of another ODM rally.
Riot police, who had been deployed to keep vigil in the town, were withdrawn in the afternoon when it became clear that no demonstrators would turn up as had been earlier anticipated.
"We have been whiling away time for the good part of the day, but people are peaceful," a police officer deployed to the main bus terminus said.
Most shops were open, but supermarkets and hardware outlets remained closed.
The Bomet-Narok-Nairobi, Kaplong-Bomet-Mulot roads were deserted and few vehicles were on the road.
But riot police dispersed hundreds of Bureti and Sotik residents who had converged at Kapkatet Stadium.
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freedom does not just come without a struggle it's unfortunate that the same people we were with in the streets in eigties and nineties are the same ones who are betraying us they kill us bit we are still soldering on till justice is achieved by all available means. i dont realy understand what they are exactly upto but whether they like it not kenya will be free at last AMANDLAAAA.........
freedom does not just come withut struggle it's unfortunate that the same people we were with in the streets in eigties and nineties are the same ones who are betraying us i dont realy understand what they are exactly upto but whether they like it not kenya will be free at last AMANDLAAAA.........