23 police officers injured in Bungoma students' riot

23 police officers injured in Bungoma students' riot

The entrance of Bungoma National Polytechnic's administration block. PHOTO| COURTESY

23 police officers from Bungoma Police Station are nursing injuries after they confronted students of Bungoma National Polytechnic who had staged a riot at the college. 

According to a police report obtained by Citizen Digital, the protests ensued on Tuesday when police officers were dispatched to quell the chaos. 

The students, however, retreated and regrouped, adding boda boda operators and other college staff members to their quest. 

Feeling more rejuvenated and armed with crude weapons, the students returned to destroy the institution's infrastructure. 

The protestors were, however, deterred from gaining entrance by the officers but retaliated by throwing stones and using the crude weapons to engage the opposition. 

Sensing they were been overpowered, the officers called for backup from near stations but the reinforcement still could not suppress the protestors. 

"They chanted that the police have no live ammunitions and have run out of tear gas and thus they can overrun the officers and accomplish their mission," the report read in part. 

Amid the chaos, the students snatched a gun from Officer James Odera but the officers responded by firing at the crowd and managed to recover the rifle. 

The confrontation came to an end when a female student was shot and killed by the officers. The student was identified as Salome Ayela Wekesa, a 26-year-old, who was in her second year of studies. 

Wekesa's body was transferred to Bungoma County Referral Hospital pending a post-mortem examination. According to the report, three officers fired live ammunition at the crowd. 

"The situation is still being monitored," the report read in part. 

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