More Death And Destruction in Nairobi
The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
2 January 2008
Nairobi
At least six people were hacked to death at Kia Maiko area in Huruma, Nairobi as fresh chaos erupted earlier today.
The killings, which occurred in a span of about 30 minutes, happened as a contingent of police officers tried to prevent one community from retaliating. Calm had returned in the area on Tuesday after leaders from two leading communities buried their differences. But come the night, residents could not sleep as gangs terrorised them while looting property. Tension grew high in the morning and the situation further aggravated by the killing of one man. All the six killings the witnessed by this writer, occurred a stone-throw away from the police.
About five people were rescued by police and rushed to hospital in a vehicle belonging to an international press service. Others were attended by a crew from Red Cross before being rushed to hospital while bleeding profusely.
Amid the hacking and confusion, a young woman gave birth by the roadside to a baby girl. The girl was immediately named after First Lady Lucy as cheers rent the air. Its mother, Elizabeth Mugwiri said she headed to the nearby dispensary but feared being killed as the said facility is situated in the middle of their perceived "enemies" territory.
Many shanty houses in the area were razed to the ground as the police watched. Sandwiched between the houses were three churches which were not spared. A fire fighter came to the area twice and put off the fire but the houses were immediately ignited.
All the victims were hacked as they left their homes heading to the nearby John Saga police post. Scores of families had to be escorted by heavily armed officers to safety. The families camped at the police post as more reinforcement of police officers battled to rescue families under siege.
A contingent of the GSU, Regular, Administration police and Prison warders were immediately dispatched in the area to contain the situation. During the morning hours, a boy aged about 15, was forcibly circumcised in the same area and ordered to go to hospital. His aggressors spared his life saying that he was just a kid, but this was after a thorough beating. Police officers had a rough time trying to calm both sides and restore peace. Their efforts to shoot in the air only calmed the situation for a while but the two warring groups reassembled and continued burning houses and hacking each other.
Some officers were also forced to fire rubber bullets towards the attackers as they surged. Tension was still high in the area as hundreds fled carrying a few of their belongings. By 1pm, the police had managed to separate the two groups with one standing on one side of the valley in Starehe constituency and another in Kasarani. A river passing between the two areas remained a no-go zone.
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