A police officer has been caught on camera shooting down an unarmed vendor in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
In the video seen by Kenyans.co.ke, a police officer was seen running towards a group of protesters who were along Mondlane Street near Imenti House, from a contingent of police officers who were stationed along Moi Avenue opposite Nairobi Sports Center.
The officer who was charging towards the protesters fired his gun at them, but did not injure anyone.
Minutes later, he charged at the protesters, taking a turn from Moi Avenue to Mondlane Street, where he and his colleague confronted a man said to be selling masks.
Instead of passing the man, the police officer and his colleague paused, with one slapping the victim. The other police officer then hit the man with the butt of his gun just moments before the first officer aimed his gun at him and shot him at close range.
Images circulating on social media showed the man on the ground bleeding from his upper body, with his hands still clasping a packet of masks he was said to have been selling.
Acting swiftly, nearby protesters scooped him up and rushed him to the Bliss Medical Centre for immediate medical treatment. Kenyans.co.ke has learnt that the vendor, identified as Eli, was then moved to the Kenyatta National Hospital, where is still receiving treatment.
The turn of events has sent activists on a tailspin, with Kenyans online calling for justice for the deceased vendor.
Ironically, the protests had been arranged to call for accountability from DIG Lagat following the alleged killing of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody.
Things took a turn earlier in the protests when motorbikes ferrying suspected goons rode into town with the occupants shouting that there would be no protests in the city.
Armed with crude weapons, including knives and clubs, they went after protestors and other civilians in the CBD, snatching handbags, phones and any other valuables they could get hold of.
In some videos shared on social media, the alleged goons were seen supposedly working in tandem with the anti-riot police officers to disperse the crowds.
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