Chaos erupted on Saturday when a group of angry youths stormed Kakamega Referral Hospital morgue demanding the release of two bodies of individuals who died during the June protests across the country.
The youths' plan to take the bodies to Kakamega County government offices was thwarted by police, leading to a confrontation that caused significant traffic congestion in Kakamega town throughout the day.
The clash ensued after police intervened to prevent the youths from retrieving the bodies and accessing the county government offices, as originally intended.
Police action was reportedly based on intelligence suggesting potential unrest following the removal of the bodies from the morgue.
During the clash, some of the youths were heard urging the cop marshals to give them a chance to give their colleagues a good send-off.
"We are asking the police to give us peace so that we can orderly take the two bodies to their respective homes for decent burial, we have no issues with anyone," one youth voiced.
The family members of the deceased have publicly stated that their relatives were not involved in the protests, contrary to allegations. They are demanding justice for the two individuals.
The youths, in response, have issued demands to the county government, calling for the waiver of hospital bills for all those injured during the protests.
On June 28th, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa announced the waiver of hospital bills and funeral costs for some victims of the protests that had rocked the county. The demonstrations had effectively halted normal activities in the town, with shops remaining closed for more than a week.
Governor Barasa strongly condemned the excessive use of force by the police during the protests, particularly the use of live ammunition. He highlighted that the demonstrations resulted in the vandalism and torching of 18 county government vehicles.
The governor subsequently appealed to the youthful protestors to engage in peaceful demonstrations, cautioning that provocation could escalate violence and encourage looting by criminals.
