The Kenya Red Cross has attended to 37 casualties following protests in Majengo, Nairobi, with two critically injured individuals evacuated to Kenyatta National Hospital and one to Pumwani Maternity Hospital.

 

In a statement on Wednesday, the Red Cross announced that it had set up a triage post at Riatha Mosque to provide immediate medical assistance.

 

“This morning, Kenya Red Cross first responders attended to 37 casualties following protests in Majengo, Nairobi. Two critically injured individuals were evacuated by @EMS_Kenya to Kenyatta National Hospital, while one was taken to Pumwani Maternity. Our teams set up a triage post at Riatha Mosque to provide immediate medical assistance,” the statement read.

 

The protests erupted after demonstrators set police houses ablaze in response to the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy during a police operation.

 

The group also torched two police vehicles, attacked the area chief’s office, and blocked roads while chanting “Allah Akbar” slogans.

 

The unrest began at 6 am when a group left a mosque, with the protests quickly spreading to Gikomba Market as police struggled to contain the situation.

 

The police said the shooting occurred the previous night at Majengo Social Hall during a confrontation between undercover police officers and a group of youths.

 

Hostile youth

The two officers, according to the police service, pursued a young man suspected of carrying cannabis (bhang) but were overpowered by a larger group of youths who intervened.

 

The officers reportedly fired warning shots to free themselves from the attack, during which the 17-year-old was shot.

 

He was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound but died around 3:15 am on Wednesday.

 

Police confirmed that the two officers sustained injuries after being pelted with stones and attacked with crude weapons.

 

Kamkunji MP Yusuf Hassan demanded an investigation by the the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), condeming the death the teenager identified s Ramadhan Chege.