19 January 2008
Nairobi — Four people were shot dead in Kibera slums as police dispersed demonstrators who had destroyed about two kilometres of the railway line.
One of those killed was a 13-year-old girl caught up among a crowd of demonstrators.
Gunfire and tear gas pervaded the slum alleys as contingents of anti-riot police charged into crowds protesting along the railway line.
The slum was a no-go zone on late Friday afternoon as police swarmed in squads to hunt down demonstrators.
Rowdy youths had in the morning uprooted more than two kilometres of the railway line as violence raged in the slum.
The more than 500 youths chanting slogans vented their anger on the railway line next to Olympic Primary School.
The line serves Kenya and the neighbouring countries.
They claimed their action was prompted by a move by the Government to transport food to Uganda "while there are people dying in Kenya".
The few police officers who came to calm the crowd were pelted with stones, prompting them to call for reinforcements.
The rain-soaked youths defied the chill that accompanied the morning drizzle.
Meanwhile, in the city centre, two activists were arrested amid gunfire and teargas smoke that filled several streets, as police engaged protesters on the third day of mass action.
Attempts by ODM supporters to access Uhuru Park, the venue of their planned rally, was thwarted by security personnel who ring-fenced the historic grounds.
Even pro-PNU supporters led by Mr Ndura Waruinge were teargassed as they attempted to match on Tom Mboya Street in support of President Kibaki.
Veteran politician, Mr Martin Shikuku and an unidentified ODM protester, were arrested as groups engaged in a cat-and-mouse chase with police on Friday afternoon.
Trouble started at about 1.30pm when Muslim faithful tried to hold a procession outside Jamia Mosque after the afternoon prayers.
Earlier, the Jamia Mosque committee issued a statement criticising the police for surrounding the mosque as worshippers prepared to pray.
"This is not a police state. We cannot live in fear," said the Imam.
ODM leaders in town
The statement also said no protest had been planned. Word had earlier spread that Pentagon member, Mr Najib Balala, would attend the prayers and later lead a protest to Uhuru Park.
A combined force of GSU, Administration and Regular police landed on the worshippers, lobbing teargas canisters as the demonstrators fled in several directions.
The police were under the command of Central Officer Commanding Police Division, Mr Tito Kilonzi. Every street in the city was manned by a squadron of heavily armed officers.
There was a spectacle when a senior police officer shouted at one of his officers who had lobbed tear gas near the mosque.
"Who ordered you to fire it and was it necessary? Do not do that again," he warned the officer.
ODM leaders, Mr James Orengo, Mr Martin Shikuku and other protestors, who had gathered at the Hilton Hotel tried to match along Mama Ngina Street but were met by police who shot several times in the air to disperse them.
Orengo and Shikuku then marched to Jamia Mosque and attempted to address the terrified worshippers but police thwarted their efforts by lobbing teargas at them and shooting in the air.
Reports by Brian Adero, Cyrus Ombati, Abiya Ochola and Jibril Adan
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