At least 20 people are nursing injuries in Kisumu after Raila Odinga’s supporters clashed with police during demos.
The late afternoon incident in Kondele area saw police confront a crowd of youths who had joined National Super Alliance (Nasa) protests against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
OVERWHELMED
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Juliana Otieno on Wednesday said the patients had overwhelmed them.
She said had sought reinforcement from the Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko.
“I am overwhelmed and the number of patients being brought in is high. Nurses are not at work and there is no one to attend to them,” said Dr Otieno.
By 4pm, 19 patients had been brought to the hospital, three of whom had gunshot wounds, she said.
The rest had either been clobbered or were suffering from teargas burns.
Among the injured is a girl from St Mary’s Secondary School in Tom Mboya estate.
She was brought in unconscious after being hit and inhaling tear gas.
POLICE
“We are hoping that we are going to get more nurses to attend to them because if we don’t, I am afraid they might suffer a lot since some of them were writhing in pain,” she said.
Another man was nursing a gunshot wound in his buttock at Nightingale Hospital.
Kisumu police boss Titus Yoma denied live bullets had been fired at the protesters.
The incident happened in Kisumu as police in Homa Bay recovered a gun misplaced by their colleague who was attacked by a mob.
The incident had been precipitated by police hurling teargas canisters on a spare parts shop ostensibly to flush out protesters who had taken refuge there.
Once they exploded, the kiosk caught fire, burning down.
As his colleagues retreated, a mob caught up with the officer who had hidden in a nearby timber yard.
GUN
They beat him up and took his gun before dropping it in the garage.
He would later be rescued by a local ODM youth leader who begged the mob to let him go.
His colleagues later picked him up and rushed him to hospital.
Homa Bay Police Commander Marius Tum said his team would pursue and charge the culpable protesters for assaulting the officer.
He said police may stop protesters from demonstrating on Friday.
