Agony As Two Brothers Succumb To Police Beating

KISUMU Kenya July 31 -Two brothers from Kisumu’s Nyalenda estate have succumbed to injuries inflicted on them by police during anti-government protests two weeks ago.

Brian Oniango 22, died on Wednesday while his brother William Amulele 24, died on Saturday while undergoing treatment at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital’s intensive care unit.

Their mother, Everlyne Achung’o, said the doctors informed her that Oniang’o had a cracked skull while his brother Amulele had a broken neck and cracked skull.

The two brothers had only stayed in this rented room for three weeks and their mother has maintained they were not taking part in the demonstrations.

At least 16 deaths have so far been recorded in Kisumu County as a result of police brutality during the anti-government protests.

Following the deaths, the family has sent an emotional appeal to both President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.

“Let him (Ruto) not praise the police that they have done a good job, let him order for investigations,” the deceased boys’ aunt Truphena Mboya said.

“And I call on Raila wherever he is to stop the protests because people’s children will continue losing their lives,” she added.

On Tuesday, Raila termed the alleged police brutality in Nyanza during anti-government demonstrations as ethnic profiling and cleansing.

No official statistics have been released but the Opposition claimed that at least 50 people were killed.

Ironically, rather than investigating and acknowledging such claims and examining the causes of the alleged or proven police shootings in order to prevent their recurrence, the officials have been defending the police.

The Office of the President, the Interior Ministry and the police have not spoken about the issue and have only praised the officers for the good work done.

This is likely to result into an increase in human right abuses and lack of trust in the service.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on July 25 issued a statement absolving police from alleged extrajudicial killings saying the criminal acts were perpetrated using civilian guns and the blame shifted to the police.

“It has been established that licensed and unlicensed civilian firearms supplied by the masterminds of the recent violence were used to kill or injure civilians and security personnel, and the blame shifted to security officers,” he said.