-
His sentiments come following the death of a protester who was allegedly killed during Thursday's anti-Finance Bill protests in Nairobi.
-
Rex Kanyike Masai, 29, was allegedly shot and killed by police during Thursday's protests in Nairobi.
Image: FILE
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has urged police officers not to be used in suppressing the right of Kenyans to protest.
His sentiments come following the death of a protester who was allegedly killed during Thursday's anti-Finance Bill protests in Nairobi.
Rex Kanyike Masai, 29, was allegedly shot and killed by police during Thursday's protests in Nairobi.
The incident took place at about 7 pm along Moi Avenue. An aerial video captured the moment the victim was shot.
"I am warning police officers, do not be used to break the law. Your child, sister or brother could easily be in that crowd," Babu said.
"Things will never be the same again. And we will not tolerate even a single life lost recklessly," he added.
The legislator further raised concern over what he termed as an increase in cases of police officers wearing masks in a bid to conceal their identities during dispatch of official duty.
"If we cannot hold individual officers accountable then we will come for the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome and hold him individually responsible," he added.
The incident happened when a group of protesters had been pushed by police from parts of Kenyatta Avenue, City Hall Way and other places they had gathered to air their opposition to the Bill.
They then went and gathered outside Moi Avenue and started to dance to music that came from a club at the site.
Witnesses claimed it was then that a cop in a cap and plain clothes emerged and started to shoot at the group while dispersing them.
Rex was hit in the leg and fell on the road crying for help.
Other protesters stopped for help and rushed him to Bliss Hospital Moi Avenue where he was pronounced dead while being attended to.
Officials at the clinic said a patient was brought into the facility by members of the public while unconscious with an injury on the thigh of his left leg but succumbed to the same while undergoing treatment.
The body was moved to the mortuary pending an autopsy.