KMPDU SG Davji Atellah Says He Cracked Skull, Got Brain Haemorrhage From Thursday Shooting
Reclining in his hospital bed, Davji Atellah, the Secretary General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union, shared with Gossipa2z.com the harrowing experience of being caught in the line of fire from the tear gas canister that ultimately led to his hospitalization.
He stood at the forefront of the demonstrations aimed at pressuring the Ministry of Health to assign medical interns when unexpectedly, he was struck point-blank by a tear gas canister. According to the union representative, it was a deliberate effort to silence him.
“This police [officer] was targeting me when I was doing the procession because he pointed at me and shot. It was a clear attempt at assassination and a clear attempt to eliminate me from the procession that we were having,” Atellah says.
“From this, I got an epidural hematoma and a skull crack. I’ve been in the HDU for the third day now. There is no reason why a peaceful procession should be met with such a force.”
Dr. Denis Miskellah, Deputy Secretary General of the doctors’ union, states that the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) will not provide medical treatment to the officer accused of shooting Davji or any other police officer until the Inspector General of Police takes legal action against the alleged rogue officer.
“KMPDU will not and shall not treat any member of the national police service or the officer accused of shooting Davji we won’t treat him,” says Miskellah.
On Sunday, he received a visit from the Law Society of Kenya, followed by a press conference where they expressed their condemnation of the attack.
Faith Odhiambo, the incoming president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has issued a warning to the government, urging it to avoid reverting to a time when citizens were unable to question or challenge the authorities. She specifically called on the inspector general of police to initiate legal action against the police officer responsible for firing a close-range shot.
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“Here today we see a situation where the SG was shot directly at by one of the police officers and it’s quite clear from the video footage we have seen that it was a direct aim at him. To say it was an accident is unacceptable,” she said.
“We cannot have rogue police officers taking the law into their hands. We are under a new dispensation; the constitution allows people to come together and articulate the issues that they have.”
The medical professionals have announced plans to conduct demonstrations on Monday. They intend to march to the National Treasury and Interior Ministry, in addition to serving a seven-day strike notice.
The healthcare professionals have warned of a nationwide strike that could disrupt services in public and private hospitals. They demand that the Ministry of Health assign medical interns and pay school fees for postgraduate students pursuing specialization courses.
“We have begun our go slow, it began on Saturday, and tomorrow after the demos we will issue a seven-day national strike notice we will show our displeasure at how the SG has been treated but also compel the govt to pay school fees for the doctors and post interns,” said Miskellah.
The Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), Seth Panyako, has issued a warning that nurses nationwide will participate in an anticipated strike by doctors unless those accountable for the shooting of Davji Atellah, Secretary General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), are apprehended.
KMPDU SG Davji Atellah Says He Cracked Skull, Got Brain Haemorrhage From Thursday Shooting
