Police yesterday were severally caught on camera as they used excessive force to quell UoN students’ riot over Babu Owino’s re-arrest. Babu was twice a student leader at the institution. The indiscriminate manner in which police invaded student quarters and terrorized students is reminiscent of the dark KANU days.
There was uproar on social media after videos were shared showing policemen raiding lecture halls and hostels to flush out students. Innocent students who did not take part in the protest were caught up in the melee and beat with clubs, stomped on and slapped. Some were forced to do grog jumps. One video showed a policeman fire live bullets towards students.
UoN's Police Brutality. I find it unfortunate the @vcuonbi Mbithi has turned a blind on the police terror instead blaming students like WTH! pic.twitter.com/WQlyvwmfJU
— Kenya West (@KinyanBoy) September 29, 2017
The police force had undergone major reforms in a bid to foster discipline and regard for the rule of law but that seems to have recently gone up in smoke.
Case in point is establishment of the Inspector General of police docket (currently occupied by Joseph Boinnet) and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) to addresses cases where police act outside confines of the law.
IPOA, like most institutions tasked with ensuring justice and constitutionalism, seems to be in bed with the current government. For instance, police were caught on camera overstepping their mandate as they stamped out the post-poll chaos that rocked the nation following the nullified 8th August election.
Innocent civilians, including 6-month old baby Samantha Pendo and 8-year old Moraa Nyarangi were killed by the police but no due process followed to implicate or exonerate involved officers.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission tasked with ensuring peaceful and harmonious coexistence among Kenyans seems to be one-sided given government-aligned politicians can freely spew vitriol in public without punitive legal action taken against them.
https://twitter.com/gitau_alina/status/913443079528513536
@JBoinnet & @FredMatiangi
The violence meted on "University of Nairobi" students in class and hostels was totally unnecessary. @Arch_KE pic.twitter.com/YY8rfpaPFv— Waturi Wa Matu (@WaturiWaMatu) September 29, 2017
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The law society has joined bandwagon calling on IG Boinnet to take action against policemen who are overstepping their mandate in carrying out duties. LSK has asked Boinnet to take action on policemen who manhandled Embakasi East Legislator Babu Owino or else they will initiate private prosecution.
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