Tuesday, November 20, 2012
By Cyrus Ombati
Several people have been injured following fresh clashes between gangs and police in Garissa Town.
Gunfire rented the air in the town on Tuesday as security agencies engaged groups of gangs armed with crude weapons for the better part of the morning.
Police have confirmed several injuries inflicted by bullets, while others have multiple injuries.
One security officer said up to five people have been shot and wounded and are admitted at the local hospital.
The violence erupted as locals protested the reaction by police and Kenya Defence Forces troops on Monday following the killing of three soldiers.
The security personnel harassed and beat up locals in reaction to the incident. Several structures were burnt in the confusion.
KDF spokesman Col Cyrus Oguna said Tuesday no weapon was stolen from their slain personnel.
Tuesday morning, groups converged at the scene of the burnt structures and started to protest before police tried to repulse them prompting the violence.
Local hospitals said they are attending up to 30 people with different injuries since the Monday incident.
North Eastern police boss Philip Tuimur says security agencies are in control of the situation in the town.
Eastleigh protests
In Eastleigh, pockets of people blocked a section of Juja Road to protest what they called land grabbing before they started to block roads there.
Police say the group’s intention is to rob and loot property and that they will firmly deal with the rioters.
Riots on Monday led to closure of businesses in Eastleigh as groups protested the Sunday blast on a mini bus.