Government Denies Police Used Live Bullets on Protesting NASA Supporters

The government through acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has dispelled claims that police offices used live bullets to disperse National Super Alliance (NASA) supporters.

The supporters took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with presidential election results declared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Friday night.

The supporters were aggrieved that their candidate, Raila Odinga was denied victory by the commission.

Matiang’i denied that officers fired live bullets at the protesters, but confirmed there were incidences of “lawlessness in Kibera and Mathare in Nairobi as well as some parts of Kisumu” where demostrators used the situation to loot property.

“Some criminal elements took advantage of the situation to loot property. The police responded and normalcy has returned in the affected areas,” he said.

There were reports that protesters had been killed in Kibera and Mathare, but the CS denied there were deaths reported.

“The government has to ensure that the lives and properties of Kenyans [are] protected. The right to demonstrate should be carried out in a peaceful manner and without destroying property,” he said.

He further accused a section of the press and social media of sharing old footage to justify the said deaths. He warned that action will be taken against those spreading the lies.

Earlier, human rights groups led by the Coalition for Constitution Implementation Kenya (CCI Kenya), Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Defenders Kenya (CGHRD-K) and Bunge la Mwananchi decried use of excessive force by police on the protestors.

“We are condemning with the strongest possible terms the use of excessive force by Kenyan security forces in quelling post-election protests,” the statement said.

The groups accused police of using live bullets in Kisumu, Migori, Rongo, Awendo, Siaya, Usenge and Kibra, Kawangware, Mathare and Kangemi in Nairobi.