At Least 5 Shot Dead, 30 Injured, 300 Arrested In Anti Government Protests

At least five people were shot dead and 30 others injured in separate places in the anti government protests in the country on Wednesday.

Police records showed the deaths were reported in Mathare, Wote, Nakuru and Kisumu.

There are fears the number of the death will rise.

More than 30 people were shot and injured by police in the chaos.

Most of the victims were shot in informal settlements in Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, Mombasa and Makueni.

Police said they arrested more than 300 people for participating in the protests.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said they were arrested in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and other towns where police clashed with protesters.

“More than 300 people have been arrested across the country and will be charged with various crimes, including looting, malicious damage of property, arson, robbery with violence, assaulting law enforcers among other crimes,” he said in a statement.

Azimio said  the protests will continue Thursday, declaring “Kenyans should not give up.”

“We will continue with our peaceful demonstrations as planned. But we will stop at 5pm today and resume tomorrow (Thursday) morning,” the coalition said.

Among those arrested in Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo among others.

The opposition has vowed to stage three straight days of protests against President William Ruto’s government, alarming the international community which has joined calls for a political solution to the crisis.

Schools and shops were closed and the with groups of mostly young men setting fire to tyres and engaging in running battles with police.

But the government issued a statement late Wednesday ordering schools to re-open Thursday.

Of the injured, four were admitted with police gunshot wounds at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu.

A 19-year-old Raphael Onyango was shot in the right upper thigh by police in the Kondele area and is awaiting a surgical operation.

At Kachok in Nyamasaria area, Brian Mbuya, 20 was  also shot by police in the chest and right lower limb and is receiving care at the facility.

George Ooko, 41 man suffered a police bullet wound in his right thigh and is also expected to undergo surgery.

Christopher Ototo, 27, was also shot by police in Nyalenda area in his left upper limb and is receiving treatment.

Five people are nursing injuries at the Nakuru Referral Hospital in Nakuru county after they were injured during the anti-government protests.

Nakuru Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. James Waweru has confirmed that among the five, four sustained gunshot wounds – two were shot in the abdomen, one in the chest and another one in the leg.

Dr. Waweru added that the fifth person suffered cut wounds.

Two people sustained gunshot in Migori County where one was shot in the thigh while the other was shot in the leg.

Running battles between anti-riot police and rowdy protesters have rocked various parts of the country with security officers lobbying teargas canisters to disperse protesters.

Transport services have also been paralysed and minimal business activity has been witnessed in parts of the nation where the protests have been staged.

Others were shot and wounded in separate places in the city.