Police launch probe after video shows officers brutally assault university students
What you need to know:
- In the video posted to the social media on Monday, police officers are seen beating up the students, some of whom can be heard wailing.
- Kenya Police Spokesman Charles Owino, however, said that police had not independently confirmed whether the video was captured on Monday, at the university.
- On Monday, students from the university engaged in confrontation with riot police as they protested the election of the university students’ union leaders.
Police have launched investigations after a video was circulated on social media showing police brutally assaulting University of Nairobi students.
Kenya Police spokesman Charles Owino, however, said that police had not independently confirmed whether the video was captured on Monday at the university.
The video shows police officers beating up the students as they lie down, in a line, on a pavement.
The officers are seen beating up the students in turns, and some of the students can be heard wailing. It is not clear what time of day the video was taken.
A university student who spoke to a Nation reporter said most of the students on the video were forcibly evicted from hostels and classes and were beaten up for no reason.
He said it was clear from the video some students had their schoolbags with them. He claimed women were ejected from their hostels and sexually harassed.
The police spokesman, however, said the officers involved in quelling the riots were advised not to go to the hostels unless it was necessary.
“We only prevent them from coming out of the university grounds to cause chaos and destruction. We do not go to their rooms,” he said.
He urged students who were attacked to report to the police station and record their statements. “Investigations into the alleged attack can only be complete if the victims report to us,” he said.
Speaking at a press conference later in the morning, Nairobi County Police Commander Japheth Koome said the video had not been shot on Monday.
He said the video was posted online by bloggers to discredit police officers.
He added that reports that police officers raped students were under investigation.
CONTROLLING RIOTS
Concerns have been raised before about how police handle riots.
Last year, the Commission on Administrative Justice recommended to the Inspector-General of Police to review the Riot Manual and align it with international standards, in line with United Nations basic principles particularly in relation to the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials.
Any riotous mob should be commanded to disperse peaceably. However, if the proclamation fails to disperse the crowd, it may be possible to disperse them without the use of force, merely by walking forward.
Should this fail, then the minimum force would be employed by firing tear gas followed by the baton party. This, depending on the crowd’s behaviour, will be followed by both tear gas grenades plus the baton parties.
Rifle fire should be the last resort.
CONFRONTATION
On Monday, students from the university engaged in a confrontation with riot police as they protested the election of the student union leaders.
The students took to the streets to protest the re-election of Mr Babu Owino as their leader, claiming the poll had been rigged.
They blocked a section of University Way and Uhuru Highway before they were repulsed by the police, who used tear gas to disperse them.
The students retreated to the university grounds, where they burnt the Student Organisation of Nairobi University (Sonu) offices in protest. They vowed to continue with the strike until the election outcome is annulled.
