Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has condemned the police for using excessive force to contain youth who were on Tuesday protesting against the Finance Bill 2024.
Speaking at the Kakamega General Hospital where he visited the wounded youths, Governor Barasa said police could have employed other means to control the youth who were unarmed and were exercising their constitutional right to peacefully demonstrate and picket.
He said the use of live bullets by police have led to the death of two innocent residents, a 35-year-old woman from Ikolomani who was selling vegetables and a 33-year-old young man.
The Governor sent his condolences to the bereaved families while assuring them of the county government support in meeting the funeral expenses.
He also said two youth were injured during the demonstrations and are receiving treatment and ready to be discharged from the Kakamega General Hospital.
The two include a 22-year-old youth who had some injuries and a 19-year-old who is nursing gunshot wounds.
“I have also checked into the hospital where the wounded are receiving treatment and I have waived the hospital fees and charges,” the governor noted.
While defending the youth for peacefully demonstrating, Governor Barasa said that some unruly people took advantage of the situation to cause chaos and destroyed over 18 vehicles of the county government and burned down others while also targeting government infrastructure including offices.
He warned the youth to always restrain themselves when they demonstrate to avoid clashing with the police who will then be forced to use too much force.
“As a county of course we also lost property. An estimated 18 vehicles were destroyed, some of them were burned to ashes. I know you have a right under article 37 of the constitution to peacefully demonstrate and picket but going forward I think when we are having this kind of demonstrations, we beseech our people not to destroy property because this is our county and when we destroy property it will not be a very good thing,” he noted.
By Moses Wekesa
