Residents Demand Justice After school girl is Shot Dead in Kisumu

Kisumu, Wednesday, May 10, 2023

KNA by Edwin Odhiambo and Albright Medaline 

Locals in Kisumu town are demanding justice after police allegedly fatally shot a Form Two student in the Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday.

Jecinter Achieng’, 19 was hit in the chest by a stray bullet fired by police who were pursuing a defiant matatu driver during a routine traffic compliance check.

The tragic incident that attracted a crowd of protesters in the Jua Kali, Kamas area also left three other men hospitalized in critical condition.

Apparently, the deceased, a student at Rangala Girls Secondary school had gone to town for shopping before reporting back to school for the second term which commenced on Monday before meeting her untimely death.

 She was shot while riding on a motorbike and rushed to Agha Khan Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Kevin Ochieng’ a boda boda rider who was ferrying Achieng’ sustained two gunshot wounds on the left arm and was admitted at the Kisumu County Hospital while James Omondi who was shot on the shoulder is also nursing the gunshot injuries in the same hospital.

Silas Omondi, a mechanic at the Juakali area was admitted at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital with a bullet lodged in his right leg.

Kisumu County police commander Alphonse Wambua confirmed the incident and said they have launched investigations into the matter.

Heartbroken Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o encouraged the police to prefer using tear gas canisters when dispersing charged crowds instead of live bullets.

Kisumu Residents Association chairman Audi Ogada termed the tragic incident as unfortunate and condemned the officers for misusing their firearms to kill innocent citizens in cold blood.

“It is unfortunate that innocent citizens have lost their lives in the name of traffic enforcement in Kisumu today. The role of Traffic Police Officers is to control and regulate traffic on our roads with the primary mandate of preventing accidents,” said Ogada.

Juakali chairman Mr. Hussein Jack called on Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to speedily probe the incident and provide justice to the three innocent people affected by the chaos.

Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron speaking on the issue appealed to the security agencies to be vigilant in weeding out rogue members who taint the image of the police service.

Courtesy; K.N.A