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Azimio protests: At least 13 police officers injured, firearm lost

Police officer on Haile Selassie Avenue March 20, 2023.

Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group

At least 13 police officers were in injured in Monday's anti-government protests in Nairobi.

Majority of the officers injured were attacked on Outering Road where protesters had barricaded the road with stones and burning tyres.

Embakasi police boss James Makau alongside several of his officers were injured in the running battles. 

They were all rushed to hospital for treatment and discharged.

Detectives from DCI led by Stephen Mutua are investigating the incident. 

At the same time, a police pistol loaded with 15 bullets was lost during the chaos in Embakasi.

Meanwhile on Juja Road, five officers were captured on video fleeing from rowdy crowd.  Two oofficers scaled up a perimeter wall to save their lives.

On Sunday, the National Police Service outlawed the protests claiming they failed to meet the threshold of the Public Order Act, 2012 section 5(2) that provides any person intending to convene any meeting or a public procession notify the regulating officer of such intent at least three days in advance.

“We are in receipt of two requests that came late yesterday and today in the morning, one from Azimio la Umoja One Kenya and one from businessmen within the Nairobi community all intending to hold demonstrations. Both however failed to meet the threshold of the law and therefore the requests were declined and the same communicated to them in writing,” Nairobi Regional Commander Mr Adamson Bungei said.

On its part, the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition insisted they sent out their notice in time, on Friday last week and addressed it to the Officer Commanding Central Police Station.

The notification serves as a leeway to provide officers enough time to plan security logistics accordingly and avert counter-demonstrations that may turn chaotic and lead to the loss of life and property.