A video of police officers assaulting food vendors (mama mbogas) and pouring out their items, before harassing a journalist who filmed the events, has gone viral.
The events took place at Mitunguu Market in South Imenti Constituency, Meru County on Saturday, March 28, at around 1.00 p.m.
A Weru TV journalist, Gregory Muriithi, had gone to the market to follow reports of theft around the area the previous night. Soon after his arrival, however, the large group of law enforcement officers stormed the market and immediately went after the grocers, caning them with batons and scattering their items on the ground.
Muriithi spoke to Kenyans.co.ke on Sunday, March 29, revealing how the events transpired even as the video attracted the fury of many Kenyans who called out the police service for brutality.
"I had gone there at around noon because there had been some reported incidences of theft.
"Then I saw police officers arrive so I started filming. They immediately started beating up the mama mbogas and kept pouring out their groceries on the ground while they chased them away.
"They said that market days were no longer allowed so they were enforcing the directive," he stated.
Muriithi disclosed that after noticing him, the officers approached him demanding to know who he was and why he was filming them before taking his work Identification card.
"Towards the end, the officers confronted me including the Assistant County Commissioner, the area chief and about three others.
"They started asking me who I was, what I was doing, why I was filming them without permission and stuff like that. They demanded that I delete the files I had recorded but I refused.
"I told them I was simply doing my job just like they were doing theirs. They wanted to know why I had not sought their permission to film them but there is no such requirement. It is like they did not want whatever they were doing to get out there.
"One of them took my work ID so I started filming him to capture who it was and that is when in the video you can see one of the officers walking towards me. During that push and pull, my camera stopped rolling. One of them slapped me on the chest but they eventually returned my ID and walked away," Muriithi shared.
The video was widely shared on various platforms, with angered Kenyans tearing into the police for lacking compassion, as they argued that the mama mbogas were simply looking to feed their families.
"Stupidity of the highest level. Hio chakula wanatupa chini ndio tunahitaji sahii. (The food they are pouring on the ground is what we need right now). Respect women. Those chiefs and askaris should be charged. Diplomacy is better," wrote Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga.
"Let’s not forget the most basic: HUMANITY. What are we fighting here? Kenyans or the pandemic? I have witnessed some markets coming up with sober plans such as opening stalls in shifts (If this stall is open today, the next stall remains closed and opens the next day) therefore favoring social distancing. Let us all be part of the solution or we will perish together," Kandara MP Alice Wahome wrote on Facebook.
"Indeed this is totally inhuman. They seem not to understand that we are fighting Covid-19, not people. Can someone train them, please. Nor are they immune to this disease, they too need to take precaution and follow Ministry of Health guidelines," wrote Vincent Okemwa.
"Even if they are trying to save them from Coronavirus, there is a better way to do it. We call it humanity," shared Sylo Shilah.
A number, however, backed the officers as they argued that force was necessary for Kenyans to comply with directives on the pandemic.
"To prompt the chief and the police to take such action I guess just as you are guessing in your judgement they must have warned them to go home and explained to them the consequences. It was important for the vendors to obey and not wait for what will happen.
"Currently life is worth than the money they were making," wrote one Muchiri David.
Watch the viral video below:
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