One person has died after he was allegedly shot by police during the Wednesday Maandamano protests in Mazembe, Nakuru Town West constituency.

Confirming the incident, Nakuru Town East Sub-County Police Commander Martin Wekesa said the young man was among hundreds of protesters who came out to protest.

As a result of the protests, hundreds of youths from Kaptembwo, Shabaab, Mazembe grounds, Rhonda and other areas sustained injuries resulting to them being rushed to hospital for treatment.

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According to Nakuru Level 5 Medical Superintendent Dr James Waweru, the facility has received eight patients with gunshot wounds. Four of them were admitted in critical condition and had to undergo surgery.

"We started receiving patients as early as 11am while some were brought in in the afternoon. All the eight patients had gunshot wounds but most of them are stable except four who underwent surgery in our theatre," Dr Waweru said.

Explaining the nature of the patients' injuries, Dr Waweru notes that two of the patients had gunshot wounds to the stomach while the other two had gunshot wounds to the chest.

Only one patient was discharged after receiving stitches to his leg where he had been injured.

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Unlike last weeks Maandanano, which started early in the morning and with fewer armed officers, contingents of police were deployed today to deal with protesters who turned out in large numbers.

The protesters were subdued by the police, who conducted constant patrols in the two areas. Most of them engaged in running battles with the anti-riot police as they lit bonfires on the road.

Kennedy Stone, who survived the incident and is being treated at Mother Kevin Catholic Hospital, lamented on how he saw his friend drop dead next to him.

"I was outside participating in the peaceful protest before things turned ugly. Everyone was out there protesting about how hard life is on our side and the police started shooting. We didn't know they were using real bullets until my friend was shot in the stomach and fell to the ground," Kennedy Stone said.

The next thing he knew was his hand bleeding and he was rushed to hospital.

Shops in Nakuru's Central Business District and most of Nakuru Town West remained closed. Traders said they had suffered huge losses as a result of last week's protests and felt it appropriate to close their shops for the day.

Mark Ochieng, a mechanic in the Shabaab area, says protesters who took part in last week's riots used his tyres for repairs to light bonfires on the road.

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"I did not want to be the one to provide this boy with the tyres they burn on the roads. Last week I was a victim of vandalism after they looted my shop and destroyed my property. Today I have decided to close my shop and watch from the sidelines. I can only hope that things will get better and that things will return to normal," Mr Ochieng said.

Locals were not spared either, as some were attacked by protesting youths who stole their belongings, including phones and cash.

Transport within the city was also paralysed in some areas, as some of the roads connecting different estates were blocked by huge boulders.

Wanjirukinuthia20@gmail.com

One dead, several injured on day 1 of Maandamano protests in Mazembe, Shabaab

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