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Police are in the spotlight after two persons yesterday succumbed to alleged assault by officers enforcing the dusk-to-dawn curfew. 

Two boda boda riders—one in Mombasa and the other from Homa Bay—succumbed to injuries sustained from police brutality on Friday, sparking nationwide condemnation, especially from human rights activists.

Hamisi Juma from Ujamaa village in Likoni allegedly sustained serious injuries after he was beaten by police as he rushed an expectant mother to a Likoni hospital after 7pm, when curfew kicks in.

“One of the officers hit his hand and he lost control of his motorcycle and fell on a metal stand that ruptured his stomach, the officers cornered him after he fell down and continued to clobber him until he fainted,” said Hamisi’s brother Hidaya Fweda.

And in Oyugis, Homa Bay county, an unidentified rider died at Rachuonyo hospital allegedly after police clobbered him.

He is said to have been ferrying a patient to a hospital in Kasipul sub-county during the curfew.

The conduct of the police has led to a backlash, with lawyers and human rights activists vowing to sue.                  

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Restoration of Human Rights and Democracy lobby have said that they will move to court.

LSK president Nelson Havi asked people who suffered the police cruelty to document all incidences of aggravated assault by the police and send them to the society, saying he would be taking the battle to court today.

Politicians, led by Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi also condemned the brutality.

“While we understand the extraordinary circumstances that have called for this extraordinary intervention, it is not possible for me to appreciate the sadistic brutality.

It is useful to remind the government that it is not at war with the citizens,” he said in a statement.