Kenya opposition leaders demand president’s resignation over shooting comments

GITHUNGURI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s opposition leaders demanded the president’s resignation over his call for police to shoot those found stealing or burning property during protests, as mourners on Friday attended the burial of a Kenyan civilian who was shot at close range by a police officer during a recent demonstration.

Opposition figure Kalonzo Musyoka said the president’s order was “against the constitution” and that he should “resign or be impeached.”

President William Ruto said on Wednesday that he would not allow “anarchy” in the country disguised as peaceful demonstrations, and called for police to shoot and “break the legs” of those found looting or damaging property during protests.

Human rights groups have called for restraint among police officers as waves of protests have rocked Kenya in recent weeks. More than 50 people have died in the two major demonstrations, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

The unrest began when the death of a blogger in police custody last month angered many Kenyans, and tensions heightened after the shooting of the civilian, Boniface Kariuki.

Kariuki was selling face masks to protesters during an anti-police brutality demonstration on June 17 when two officers appeared to confront him and shot him in the head as he walked away.

On Thursday, an officer was charged with his murder. A plea hearing for the officer is set for July 28.

Thousands turned out for protests on June 25, which coincided with the one-year anniversary of huge anti-tax protests.

At Kariuki’s burial in Githunguri, Murang’a county, his body arrived in a white coffin draped with a Kenyan flag and a photo showing the moment he was shot was placed next to it. Young people danced around the coffin while waving a Kenyan flag.

No uniformed police officers were observed at the burial venue, but antiriot police remained deployed around Murang’a town.

Murang’a County Governor Irungu Kang’ata said local leaders would ensure justice is served.

“The government must take responsibility for the killing of Boniface,” he said.

Several mothers of the more than 100 young people who have died in protests since last year’s anti-tax demonstrations were present at the burial.

Four police officers are currently in custody over the recent deaths of young people and are facing murder charges in court.

Three officers were last month charged with the death of blogger Albert Ojwang in custody. Police had said he died after repeatedly banging his head on a wall, but a postmortem report stated that the injuries were not self-inflicted.

Another officer, Klinzy Barasa, on Thursday appeared in court where prosecution approved murder charges against him. He is expected to submit a plea on July 28.

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Musambi reported from Nairobi, Kenya