Chaos rocked Malakisi town in Sirisia constituency, when enraged residents engaged the police in running battles over the killing of a county government employee under unclear circumstances.
Police reportedly used live ammunition to disperse the surging crowd after residents in their hundreds stormed the streets to protest the killing of George Barasa who at the time of the incident was entertaining guests at his home.
Two other people were reported shot during melee as police used fired live bullets to contain the surging crowd that was baying for the blood of the officers behind the killing.
It was not clear whether the two were injured by stray bullets during the fracas but Lwandanyi MCA Tony Barasa insisted that police provoked the residents after “ killing an innocent person”.
“We are tired of police brutality and use of excessive force, why did they kill an innocent person? This man was a county government employee working as a revenue clerk in Sirisia town,” said Barasa
He condemned the killing and subsequent injuring of several people who were protesting the act.
“As we speak, a number of people have been shot and injured, they have been rushed to several health facilities, we don’t understand the level of injuries but things are bad here, running battles all over,” he said.
Reports indicate that the deceased, George Barasa had invited visitors to his home in Matisi village, Butonge sub location during the rite of passage for his son who was circumcised in the month of August.
He was shot dead near Malakisi town when he had gone to buy more drinks for his visitors on the evening of December 26.
A source who sought unanimity said that it is the Butonge Sub Chief Silas Waswa Wandabwa who had reportedly informed the police officers that the deceased had invited unknown people and they were engaged in partaking the banned illegal liquor.
“The officers confronted the deceased and they clashed before he was shot several times and left for dead,” said the source.
In retaliation, angry residents torched the sub chief’s houses destroying everything and went ahead to stop the ambulance donated by the Nandalwe foundation from ferrying the body to the mortuary.
Barasa said that the residents engaged the officers in the running battles the whole night up to the morning of December 27, where chaos worsened leading to shooting and injuring of two more residents that have also been taken to hospital.
Residents are now calling for the transfer of all police officers in the station for failing to contain insecurity but were busy collecting bribes and protection fee from busaa and Chang’aa brewers.
By the time of filing this story, Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati, Sirisia MP John Waluke and senior county security details had visited the area to quell down the rising tension.
This comes barely a week after chaos erupted in Kolongolo village, Trans Nzoia County, where five people were shot dead, after residents allegedly clashed with police officers who had gone to arrest a domestic row suspect.
By Douglas Mudambo
