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Tears flow freely as families collect bodies of loved ones killed during Raila’s homecoming


Families of Kenyans the opposition claims were killed by the police during Nasa leader Raila Odinga’s return from overseas two weeks ago started collecting bodies of their loved ones from the City Mortuary for burial.

Seven bodies were collected on Thursday in the presence of Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris, her Kisumu counterpart Rosa Buyu and Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati.

The leaders condemned what they described as police brutality on innocent Kenyans and asked acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet to take responsibility.

“Nasa (National Super Alliance) did not commit any crime by calling for demonstrations. We were exercising our constitutional and democratic right. We ask Dr Matiang’i and Mr Boinnet to take responsibility because many of these people were felled by police bullets,”  said Ms Passaris.

POLICE BRUTALITY

According to the woman rep, those killed came from different parts of the country, including areas perceived to be Jubilee strongholds.

“I have seen a list of those killed. It is clear that they are not from one community. This is a challenge to us that police brutality does not spare anyone,” she said.

A march to welcome Mr Odinga after a trip to the United States and Europe on November 17 turned violent, when police and Nasa supporters clashed as the officers tried to stop them from congregating and attending a rally at Uhuru Park, which they had declared illegal.

Several people died during the violence that saw property worth millions of shillings destroyed.

In a statement, the police denied killing demonstrators. They said five people were killed by a mob at the Muthurwa market, where they were caught stealing. Nasa has claimed that 25 people were killed by police on November 17.