Police Under Fire for Shooting Four-Year-Old Girl Amid Karatina Protests
Three days after the protests in Karatina town, Nyeri County, it has been revealed that among at least twenty people injured by gunfire was a four-year-old girl.
According to the police, five officers were also injured, and two of their vehicles had their windscreens shattered.
The victims receiving treatment at Karatina Hospital include Ivana Gathigia (4 years old), Eric Waigwa (23), Brian Mwangi (28), Sarah Githinji (52), Baxton Mwangi (35), Kelvin Gicheru (19), and Cynthia Mera (19). Another injured individual, Wycliffe Thiong’o (25), a local hairdresser, has been transferred to Kenya National Hospital for advanced care.
During a visit by Nation.Africa to the hospital on August 10, many of the victims were found to have bullets still lodged in their bodies as they awaited surgery.
Baby Ivana had a bandage on her right hand, with X-rays revealing shrapnel embedded in her arm.
Her mother, Ms. Eunice Gathigia, recounted that she had just collected her daughter from a nearby nursery and was walking down the street when the police began shooting indiscriminately.
In her attempt to avoid the bullets and find shelter, the panicked girl slipped from her grip and was struck by a stray bullet. Thankfully, the bullet hit a wall first, resulting in only a minor injury.
Ms. Gathigia initially feared the worst when she saw her daughter wounded, losing consciousness briefly before realizing Ivana was missing. A friend later informed her that Ivana had been taken to the hospital for treatment.
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“It’s a miracle she survived; it could have been much worse if the bullet had hit her directly. Although I don’t believe the police were targeting her, what happened is inexcusable and deeply traumatic for both of us,” she said.
Other injured individuals shared similar stories, describing themselves as innocent bystanders who had no involvement in the protests.
Two victims are in critical condition with gunshot wounds to their abdomen and chest, while others have injuries to their legs from the police’s live ammunition used to disperse the crowds.
Dr. Nelson Muriu, Nyeri County Director of Medical Services, reported that the Ministry of Health had deployed additional doctors to assist in the operating theatre.
Mathira East sub-county police commander Samson Leweri, who was himself injured by a stone thrown by a protester, confirmed that five police officers were hurt by stones and that two police vehicles had their windscreens damaged during the demonstrations.
Mr. Leweri refrained from disclosing the exact number of people affected by police actions, merely noting that a number of thugs’ were among the injured.
This incident follows a directive from Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua a week prior, instructing security forces in Nyeri County to halt the weekly protests in his hometown.
Previously, two secondary school students were also killed by police gunfire during similar unrest. Eustace Chiira, a student from Kiamwangi Secondary School, was initially treated for gunshot wounds at Karatina Level 4 Hospital before being transferred to Kenyatta Referral Hospital, where his leg was amputated.
Police Under Fire for Shooting Four-Year-Old Girl Amid Karatina Protests
