By Evans Ouma
Kisumu residents and leaders have demanded an immediate arrest of the police officer who shot dead a university student during Monday’s Azimio la Umoja protests against the high cost of living.
The Maseno University student, identified as William Manyange, was in a team of demonstrators who police claim stormed a police station in Kisumu West Sub-County.
A police report seen by The Press Point said that the protestors overpowered the officers on duty who upon running out of tear gas canisters resolved to firing live bullets.
The third year student was shot on the neck and pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital, police said.
Residents have accused the officers of using excessive force saying they had no reason to fire live bullets to the protesters.
“Why would a police officer just decide to open fire to unarmed residents exercising their democratic rights?” Activist James Omondi posed.
The demonstrators, according to police, invaded several private buildings causing massive destruction.
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has called for investigations to unravel the criminals behind the activities that he termed as acts of hooliganism.
“I wish to appeal to the police to urgently open investigations to not only identify and arrest culprits but also to establish if it could be true that they had been sponsored by groups or individuals to tarnish the name of Kisumu residents and Azimio la Umoja supporters as violent,” said the county boss.
Prof Nyong’o asked residents to be vigilant during future protests and apprehend and hand over to police anyone causing destruction to property.
This as Maseno University students took to the streets to protest the killing.
