A female police officer was injured during a fracas following a raid at a popular bar in Ol Kalou town on Wednesday evening.
Constable Velma Nyambuto was hit on the nose with a stone by a mob. She was rushed to J.M Kariuki Memorial Hospital where she was treated and discharged in stable condition.
Trouble began after a contingent of more than 25 armed officers, led by the Nyandarua Central deputy subcounty police commander and Ol Kalou OCS Moses Munywoki raided Headquarters Bar and Restaurant, popularly known as HQ, where 22 drinkers holed up.
The revellers and the proprietor refused to open the door, prompting the police to use “necessary force” to get in.
The commotion attracted residents and traders who came in their numbers and surrounded Njonanjo House where the bar is situated on the second floor, demanding immediate arrest and quarantine of the owner and his customers.
The crowd threw all caution to the wind about Covid-19, ignoring the social distancing requirement. Some even climbed trees to get a clear view of what was going on. One would be forgiven to think there was a political rally.
The situation turned ugly after the police officers stayed in the bar for more than two hours. The restless residents and traders said the officers were waiting for the curfew to set in so they could release the culprits.
“We know this is where the rich come to drink. Even some police officers come to drink here all day long. If it was a poor person, it would not have lasted five minutes for them to be taken into quarantine. Why would it take long for armed police officers to arrest just a few people?” an angry resident said.
They said the proprietor operates with impunity, yet Ol Kalou police station is just 800 metres away.
“We want to know what law the police in Ol Kalou apply. They arrest and harass the poor, while the rich appear to be above the law. If they are arrested, you see them in the streets the following day while the poor are not spared," another resident said.
The crowd demanded that all bars in Ol Kalou be allowed to operate if police officers believe residents are immune to coronavirus.
At 6.30pm, they threatened to force their way into the bar to eject the officers and the revellers. Some started throwing orange and banana peelings, while some threw stones. They ignored pleas by the officers that everything was being done as per the law.
At some point, the officers had to use teargas to disperse the surging crowd to make room to whisk the revellers to safety as the situation worsened. But residents regrouped quickly, became more aggressive and demanded more tear gas. As darkness approached, however, they left, allowing the police to remove the drinkers and the businessman, who were immediately taken into quarantine at Nyandarua High School.
Nyandarua county police commander Gideon Ngumi on Thursday morning told the Star on the phone that the incident was being investigated.