Youth who attacked us were hired, say ‘Occupy’ activists

Organisers of a demonstration held on Tuesday to compel President Uhuru Kenyatta to tackle rising insecurity in the country, want the police to take action against youths who attempted to disrupt their protest.

The organisers, led by activist Boniface Mwangi, said the youth were allegedly hired by a Nairobi politician.

“We have been told they were hired by the politician but we are not very sure. That is for the police to establish,” he said Wednesday.

They vowed they would not make a formal complain as the police witnessed the disruption bid but did nothing.

The group of more than 20 boys moved to Harambee Avenue two hours before the protest and camped there, ready to confront the demonstrators.
They chanted pro-government slogans, saying it was doing enough to deal with insecurity.

DOING ITS BEST

“We will not allow the protesters to paint the government in bad light yet it is doing its best,” said one of the youth, Mr Newton Khamasi, who claimed to be a businessman in the city.

The group destroyed the crosses that the protesters had brought along to signify the number of lives lost in recent incidents of insecurity.

The “Occupy Harambee Avenue” protesters were mobilised through social media after Saturday’s Mandera massacre that left 28 Kenyans dead.

They demanded the sacking of Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku and Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo, saying they had failed to deliver in their duties.

Kakamega senator, Boni Khalwale, who took part in the demonstration, said he did so because his county lost ten people in the attack.