At least 20 pupils were hospitalised after police lobbed teargas into their school in Kawangware, Nairobi, on Friday, May 26, 2023.
The officers were responding to demonstrations staged by local traders on Friday morning, protesting the government’s destruction of their make-shift kiosks.
The men in uniform fired in the air and lobbed teargas canisters at the vendors to quell the protests.
One of the canisters reportedly went off at Ndurarua Primary School causing a commotion as learners and teachers scampered for safety.
At least 20 learners are said to have collapsed during the incident and were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
At the same time, one of the protesters is said to have been shot and injured during the demonstrations.
The traders faulted the government over the Friday evictions, saying they were not served with notices before the exercise.
“They had not served us with any notices; the police just started attacking people and one of us was shot and injured as a result,” Sospeter Muchiri, a resident told a local news outlet.
“We want to know what law allows for the demolition of property and harassing common mwananchi who work hard every day to make ends meet?” he posed.
