Tuesday, March 21, 2023 – The National Police Service (NPS) has confirmed that a total of 31 police officers were injured during the Azimio mass protests in Nyanza and Nairobi.
According to the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, 24 officers were injured in Nairobi while the other seven were from Nyanza. Destruction of property was also recorded as well as the death of one protestor in Maseno.
Koome stated that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had launched investigations into the circumstances under which the police officers were injured.
“We, therefore, condemn in the strongest terms possible, the unwarranted violence that was meted against our Officers discharging their official duties.”
“We wish to inform the public that during yesterday’s demonstrations, we arrested 25 people, while 7 Officers were injured in Nyanza; while in Nairobi, 10 Police Vehicles were damaged, 24 Officers injured while persons arrested were 213,” read the statement in part.
In Kisumu, protesters engaged police officers in running battles when the two camps retreated and shared lunch.
In Nairobi, most of the police officers were injured on Outering Road where protesters had barricaded the road with stones and burning tyres.
Among the people who were injured at Outering Road are Embakasi police boss James Makau and his junior colleagues.
The Police lamented that organisers of the demonstration pretended to be peaceful before attacking the officers who stood guard around critical installations.
The Inspector General of Police noted that his officers remained calm and professional despite outright provocation that was staged by the Azimio La Umoja supporters.
He, however, regretted that even after officers restrained themselves, acted within the law and effectively contained the situation, rioters invaded Maseno Police Station.
As a result, IG Koome noted that property was destroyed and in the process, one male student from Maseno University was killed by the officers.
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