Nasa to raise funds to help victims of demos

Nasa leader Raila Odinga during a press briefing in Nairobi on November 18, 2017. He is expected to attend a fund-raising event for victims of 2017 post-election violence. ANDREW KILONZI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The funds to be used to clear hospital bills for people who were injured in the fracas.
  • Nasa leader Raila Odinga and his co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula will attend the event
  • The coalition says it will seek legal redress both locally and internationally to ensure justice for the victims of police killings and excessive use of force.

The National Super Alliance (Nasa) leaders will Friday hold a fundraiser to meet the funeral expenses of their supporters who died in post-poll chaos.

The funds will also be used to clear hospital bills for people who were injured in the fracas.

Nasa leader Raila Odinga and his co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula will attend the event to be held Laico Regency Hotel, Nairobi from 6pm.

A host of Nasa politicians will also attend the event that will be preceded by a memorial service at a venue Nasa was yet to announce by the time of going to press.

SEEK JUSTICE

This comes as Nasa said that it will seek legal redress both locally and internationally to ensure justice for the victims of police killings and excessive use of force.

The coalition has repeatedly called on the government to rein in officers accused of brutality.

On Wednesday, a group of Nasa women MPs led by Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) and her Homabay colleague Gladys Wanga claimed that 54 people were killed by the police on Friday and Sunday last, a claim the police has denied.

The MPs who spoke in Kibra, Nairobi when they donated food and cash to the victims of police brutality, said that several people were killed on Friday after the police tried to block Nasa supporters who were welcoming Mr Odinga from a visit in US from accessing the city centre.

More others were killed on Sunday as Nasa supporters protested the brutal killings in Mathare and Lucky Summer in Nairobi by unknown assailants.

According to a statement by Nasa director of communications Philip Etale, an autopsy carried out by Chief government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor shows that ten bodies had bullet wounds.

PROBE

“Family, friends and relatives of the victims of extra-judicial killings and police brutality in Nairobi today witnessed the autopsy carried out on 18 bodies at the City Mortuary,” Mr Etale said.

Mr Etale noted that the autopsy was carried out in the presence of officers from government agencies of Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and the Independent Police Oversight Authority.

“Three bodies are lying at Chiromo mortuary, two with bullet wounds, one at Nairobi Women's Hospital mortuary and another at the Kenyatta University Hospital Mortuary,” he said.

Nasa said that upon investigations by the government agencies including IPOA and KNCHR, individual charges will be preferred on police officers responsible for the killings.

A police report released Friday indicates that four people died and eight others were injured in violence that followed the Supreme Court decision to uphold re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday.

According to the report released by police spokesman George Kinoti, three police officers were among the injured.

The deaths occurred in Kibera and Kariobangi in Nairobi, Migori, and Kisumu, the report said.