Military accused of brutality
A group of army officers frog-marched and whipped youths while forcing them to remove illegal roadblocks in Eldoret. The officers caught on camera, used sticks and gun butts to beat up youths, who had allegedly erected the roadblocks at Ngeria along the Eldoret-Nairobi highway. An officer was seen kicking one of the youths as they frog-marched them from one roadblock to the next for about five kilometres. The youths raised their hands in surrender but the officers continued whipping them and forcing them to walk on their knees.
The incident sparked outrage from locals who accused the army of using force to quell internal conflicts. “The police and GSU do not treat us in this manner. They prevail upon us to open the road temporarily and we heed their pleas. The use of force by the army has angered us,” said Mr Peter Toroitich.
The incident occurred on Monday, one day after security officers shot and injured 42 people in Eldoret.
A doctor at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital said the injured people were brought from Cheptiret, Kasarani and Kimumu estates in Eldoret.
The doctor said eight bodies had also been taken to the hospital’s morgue since Monday.
Meanwhile, scores of people continue to flee Eldoret town following the renewed violence.
Many vehicles, including trucks headed for Mombasa, converged outside the Eldoret Police Station to receive police escort out of the town.
East African Standard
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