Mombasa County Members of Parliament have condemned a teargassing incident that occurred at Coast Girls school on Wednesday.
The MPs led by Likoni’s Mishi Mboko and Woman Representative Zamzam Chimba said it was an act of 'cowardice' by law enforcement officers.
They called for immediate investigations into the incident and imposition of disciplinary measures on the police officers who will be found culpable.
“We call for investigation of the police officers involved in the lobbing of teargas into a school. Demonstrations and picketing is a constitutional right and the government should listen to the voice of the people at all times,” Mboko said.
She stressed the importance of protecting educational spaces from the volatility of political unrest.
"Schools should be sanctuaries of learning, not battlegrounds for political agendas. The incident at Coast Girls School is a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform in how security forces engage with civilians during protests."
During anti-Finance Bill protests in Mombasa on Wednesday, learning at the Coast Girls High School was temporarily affected after a tear gas canister landed in the school compound.
Police were forced to lob tear gas at hundreds of protestors who had converged at Central Police Station within the Mombasa CBD.
The Mombasa legislators condemned the act highlighting its unacceptable nature and the urgent need for accountability.
They emphasized that such actions not only compromise the safety and well-being of students but also reflect a troubling disregard for human rights and the rule of law.
"The deployment of tear gas within the confines of an educational institution, where young girls were present, is a violation of their safety and dignity," Chimba stated.
She added that the incident did not only reflect poorly on the integrity of law enforcement agencies but also poses serious questions about their operational protocols during public demonstrations.
The MPs who addressed the media at parliament buildings included Mohamed Soud Machele (Mvita) and Rashid Bedzimba (Kisauni).
Kenyans on Thursday joined the protests countrywide to oppose the Finance Bill 2024, which they term ‘punitive’.
The protests started in Nairobi on Tuesday.
