Kisumu based activists sue government!

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“The petition filed  also lists the interior minister Professor  Kithure Kindiki and the Inspector of police  Japhet Koome as respondents”

A group of civil society activists’ has moved to the High   court in Kisumu ,  challenging the government’s declaration that previous Azimio demonstrations were illegal.

In the said petition the Group’s leaders have indicated that the government should be blamed for the loss of tens of  lives and damages that might have followed the declaration that the said demos were illegal.

In the Joint   petition filed on Monday , against the state,  the National security  ministry as well as against the Inspector General of police,   the caucus bringing together a group by the name  Operation Linda Jamii and members of the Sufuria movement are calling on the courts to interpret  the governments declaration against the provisions of the Kenyan law as illegal.

The groups’ coordinator Professor and strategist  Fred Ogolla insists that the Kenya Kwanza government should be blamed and should be surcharged for all the killings, injuries and loss of property witnessed during the said demonstrations where police were blamed for brutality.

“We have filed the case against the respondents on behalf of the affected people mostly from Kisumu , Siaya, Migori and Homabay counties  where figures indicate most Cases of police use of excessive force against demonstrators were reported ” said Prof Ogola outside the court

The Petitioners have stressed that, they  are of the idea that the government of Kenya  is squarely to blame following all the atrocities against the citizens following the government own declaration that the demos were illegal

Police officers who were state agents used their firearms to shoot at demonstrators and those not demonstrating and that  what pains is the way things  are presently ongoing  as if it is all  normal with no action taken against the said officers

The public isn’t aware of any police officer or officers  charged, dismissed or even officer who have just  arraigned before court following the shootings  some that were captured live on Camera

The petition filed  also lists the interior minister Professor  Kithure Kindiki and the Inspector of police  Japhet Koome as respondents being  persons holding public  offices with responsibility, who gave orders  and failed to control the security officers not to use state weaponry against the citizenry

Activist  Sospeter  Obungu Owich , the leader of the sufuaria movement, in his brief to the media after the petition was filled  described the  case filed as a game changer, that would help end the ever reported cases  of police  brutality around Nyanza during such demos before during and after the electioneering periods

‘We all saw clips of how the police behaved around the slums , during the demos, we saw the use of force against person who were not on the streets , and as people we have questions against government that the same police officers serve under” said Obungu

Obungu believes that the court would help interpret the clause on the freedom of assembly and the freedom to demonstrate, hence a clear road map might be found in future

The group demands that government through its respective agencies be forced to produce actual data, and a plan to compensate all the victims of the police actions

We still have so many Kenyans suffering in Hospitals and at homes with bullet wounds and severe  injuries from the demos, these people should be handsomely compensated , at least to end enable theme resume normal livelihood

The group now awaits further guidance from the courts  on the mention and hearing dates

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