Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has applauded the media for their presence during Monday’s protest.
Replying to a statement in a newspaper, through his Twitter handle, he claimed that the police officers had an intention of harming the peaceful protestors, but they were prevented by the presence of the media.
“Leo I salute the Kenyan Media. Your presence and your cameras saved lives yesterday. The police were intent on harming peaceful protesters,” said Sifuna.
“They shot at unarmed civilians with their weapons and water canons. You kept all of us safe by shooting back with your lenses. You are all heroes.”
This comes after police officers on Monday, engaged Azimio supporters in running battles in key opposition stronghold estates in Nairobi.
Police blocked Azimio supporters from accessing the Central Business District to participate in the march to the State House.
In Kibera, there was a temporary standoff between police and youths as some youths were seen pelting stones at police cars.
But the police retaliated by lobbing tear gas at the youths who had now disappeared into the alleys and shops.
A number of protesters were arrested for defying their orders or those attempting to light tires on the roads.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga’s convoy was also teargassed and blasted with water cannons as police broke the opposition march to Nairobi Central Business District.
Even though police managed to keep Raila out of town, the ODM boss snaked his way through Eastlands areas of Nairobi, addressing charged rallies, sometimes in the thick of teargas.
He addressed supporters in Eastleigh, Kamukunji and Mathare constituencies, where he declared that the anti-government protests will be held every Monday.
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