Fury in Kenya over police brutality in anti-electoral body protests

Kenyans and human rights organizations on Tuesday condemned Monday's incident where police used excessive force to disperse anti-electoral body's protesters in the capital Nairobi.

Speaking separately, the organizations including an umbrella organization of lawyers, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) warned that security officers have no right to use excessive force on protesting innocent civilians.

LSK chairman Isaac Okero said the police force must now urgently be trained on how to facilitate the citizen's peaceable and unarmed, no matter how raucous, while respecting their inherent dignity and the right to have the same respected and protected.

"The management of lawful protests by the police must preserve every citizen's rights to freedom and security of person. The exercise of the right to protest is no excuse for anybody to damage property or to engage in violent conduct," Okero said.

On Monday, the police fired tear gas and water cannon at stone-throwing protesters during a demonstration in the centre of Nairobi against an electoral oversight body, which the opposition leaders want to scrap.

The police officers armed with batons, confronted hundreds of protesters outside the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for the third time. The opposition leader promised more protests every Mondays.

The move comes as the man captured on camera while being assaulted by anti-riot police during demonstrations has reportedly died.

The protester identified as Bernard Ngari from central Kenya is reported to have succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday morning.

Ngari's video and pictures showing him receive a cruel beating from two anti-riot officers was widely circulated online, causing a buzz over police brutality in the country.

In the video, officers are seen chasing Ngari who unfortunately falls down before being attacked with a club and kicks.

According to the clip, Ngari seems not to move an inch despite the thorough beating unleashed by the paramilitary officers.

Nairobi Womens Hospital CEO Eunice Munyingi has also confirmed that two of ten people injured in the Monday's protests had bullet wounds. The police had denied using live bullets to contain protesters.

State-owned Kenya National Commission of Human Rights (KNHCR) said it will launch investigations into the chaos with a view to instituting legal proceedings against law breakers.

"Use of brute and indiscriminate force is counterproductive as it violates the rights of innocent and creates anarchy," KNCHR chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori said.

Mbogori however urged CORD leaders and supporters to maintain law and order during demonstrations. "Picketing should be done within the confines of the law and use of force by security forces must be the last resort," said Mbogori.

The State-funded human rights body further accusing Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery of issuing directives that go against the law.

"The CS must desist from issuing directives to the police contrary to The Constitution & operate within the law," she said, adding "Police can only isolate criminal elements during protests."

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has defended the protests insisting they were peaceful until police lobbed teargas canisters at the leaders and their supporters.

"Despite the use of unwarranted force by the police, our constitutionally guaranteed and peaceful pickets shall continue next Monday and every Monday thereafter until the IEBC is reconstituted," he said.

Even before Odinga, ex-foreign affairs minister Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka, former vice-president addressed their supporters, police lobbed teargas at the protesters throwing the meeting into disarray and causing the leaders and their supporters to flee.

The protests were also marred by cases of robbery and hooliganism with most businesses remaining closed for the better part of Monday with owners fearing vandalism and looting.

Several Nairobi residents were left reeling in desperation after some of the protesters snatched their phones and even threatened to attack them.

International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)-Kenya also condemned the beating of women protesters during the Monday's march by police.

"Its appalled by the brutality meted upon the women during the ongoing anti-IEBC demonstrations that happened Monday. FIDA Kenya strongly condemns the use of excessive force by the police," it said.

"We also believe that the police have the means and are able to control the public or arrest the demonstrators without the use of excessive force. What the country witnessed yesterday is both puzzling and inexcusable. The use of excessive force by the police is a violation of human rights," it added.

The opposition has been calling for the disbandment of IEBC over alleged corruption and bias and the current standoff resulted from the rejection of the signatures for a constitutional referendum.

Source: XINHUA