Police actions on anti-femicide protesters were uncalled for- Interior PS

Interior PS Raymond Omollo has condemned how police handled Tuesday's anti-femicide protest, saying it was regrettable.

Speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday, Omollo criticised the unwarranted violence against protesters on International Human Rights Day, saying it reflected poorly on the country's policing approach.

"I think the events were pretty much unfortunate, to say the least. Things just did not go right. The actions taken against peaceful demonstrators were unacceptable and avoidable." said the PS.

The march, organised to raise awareness about the rising cases of femicide in Kenya, turned chaotic after police disrupted it using excessive force against otherwise peaceful demonstrators.

Protesters, who had gathered to demand justice for femicide victims, were teargassed with leaders like Amnesty International's Irungu Hoghton being arrested.

"We have had talks with the Inspector General of Police, and it is regrettable. This should not have happened in the first place. It shows part of the challenges that we have in policing," added Omollo.

The United States Embassy in Nairobi also issued a statement expressing its concern over the incident.

"It is regrettable and concerning to see police action against Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights to assemble and protest peacefully. On International Human Rights Day, the United States supports efforts to end femicide in Kenya and protect the human rights of all people." read the statement.

The police's actions also drew criticism from Amnesty Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya who issued a joint statement condemning the disruption of the peaceful protest and calling it a violation of constitutional rights.

"We strongly condemn the use of teargas against unarmed citizens and the arrest of peaceful demonstrators. This excessive force not only violates national and international human rights laws but also sends a chilling message to all those advocating for justice and accountability," the statement read.

 

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