A section of Kisumu civil society members and residents, on Wednesday morning, chose to camp at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital’s mortuary, for a daytime vigil, in line with calls by the opposition in Solidarity with those who were killed or Maimed by the Police
Members of the group said that they chose to have the vigil, at the morgue which is usually a feared space, just to be in Solidarity with the dead who were still in the facility and their bereaving relatives,
The group, under the umbrella of Kisumu Grassroots Trust, composed of informal settlement representatives, while holding candles and flowers gathered at the funeral home early morning, where they started by Singing the national anthem, saying it is the simplest prayer any Kenyan citizen would narrate at such moments of grief
“Different from Other spaces, as residents of the various slums around we chose this solemn space at least to spare a moment to comfort these relatives who are mourning their beloved ones,” said Hassan Salim a representative from Bandani
According to the Kisumu County Government statistics, 9 people lost their lives in various parts of Kisumu, where close to 39 were admitted at the referral Hospital with gunshot wounds reportedly inflicted by the police during last weeks three-day demo that was called by the Azimio group
The group that camped at the JOOTRH morgue claimed that the figure could be more than the reported since there are cases where the injured could be hiding in their houses particularly those from the informal settlements around Kisumu
Philip Awiti , a resident of Kisumu , raised concern that the last week’s police action appeared to be targeting mostly residents from the poor neighbourhoods of Nyalenda, Obunga , Manyatta, and such spaces, saying that there needs to be much explanation to the affected residents
On The other side of town, Various leaders and locals assembled at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga hospital where they equally condemned the cases of police brutality as was witnessed in the residential spaces last week,
The leaders have revealed that there shall be a joint prayer meeting this coming Friday organized still in memory of the deceased and the injured
“Demonstration is allowed under the law, and the people were just excising their legal mandate, the police behaviour shall never go unpunished, said Speaker Elisha Jack Oraro who led the day time candle lighting memorial
By Eldoret Media Hub