- Raila Odinga strongly condemned the police shooting of a mask seller in Nairobi.
- The hawker was shot in broad daylight during protests calling for justice for Albert Ojwang.
- The ODM leader blamed the police for using deadly force on unarmed citizens.
- He warned the country could sink into unrest if the violence continues.
- Raila called on President Ruto to act fast and stop the growing police brutality.
Opposition chief Raila Odinga has broken his silence after a street vendor was shot by a police officer during Tuesday’s demonstrations in Nairobi. In his statement, Raila called the killing shocking and unacceptable, saying it showed how badly things have gone with the country’s law enforcement.
Raila did not hold back. He said the police have turned rogue and are now harming innocent citizens without reason. He pointed out that the hawker was not armed or threatening in any way. Still, the officer used a loaded weapon to take his life in broad daylight.
“There was no threat to the officer’s life. He chose to use deadly force on a harmless Kenyan,” Raila said.
The ODM leader reminded the government that peaceful protest is protected by the Constitution. He urged President William Ruto to take control of the situation and stop the growing trend of violence against protesters. According to Raila, if no action is taken, the country risks going down a dark path.
Videos shared on social media showed the victim, a hawker selling masks along Moi Avenue, being surrounded by two police officers. Witnesses say he did not fight back. Still, the officers beat him up, kicking and punching him. Then, without warning, one pulled the trigger and shot him at close range.
Pedestrians screamed in shock as the hawker fell. The officer who fired the shot took off immediately, leaving the crowd stunned. The whole incident played out in broad daylight, right in the heart of Nairobi’s CBD. It caused instant uproar online and anger on the streets.
A Warning from Raila
Raila ended his statement with a clear warning: the state must act before things get worse. He said Kenya must not allow police impunity to grow unchecked and called for swift justice.
“This level of violence cannot continue. The President must move fast to restore sanity,” he said.
