Kenya: Man Killed in Molo Protests

Source from:  The East African Standard (Nairobi) 23 January 2008 01/23/2008

Youths struck Molo town and killed a businessman near Molo Academy. Youths sniffing tobacco and chanting war slogans attacked the man near the school and burnt him to death in his car, on Tuesday. They barricaded all roads leading in and out of Molo town. Local OCPD, Mr Litabalia Achesa, said the youths attacked the man after learning he was from a different community. On Monday, youths burnt a lorry and business premises after engaging the police in nightlong battles. They said they were protesting at what they termed as killings of innocent people and burning of houses. The incidences were triggered by allegations that armed warriors from a neighbouring community had arrived in town. The youths accused the businessman, whose property was destroyed, of welcoming the suspected raiders at his farm near Molo town. They also alleged that the police were partisan. But Achesa denied the claims and said the police discharged their duties without bias. "We are here to maintain law and order and not to take sides in the skirmishes," he said. Achesa also dismissed claims by some residents that the youths were Mungiki adherents. "These are criminals and we will deal with them as such," said the OCPD. Elsewhere, seven more people have died in Kipkelion District in the past week. This follows renewed fighting between members of three communities. This brings the death toll of post-election violence in the district to 29. Villagers discovered four bodies at Mutaragon in Kipkelion Division on Tuesday morning. "The bodies, which have been taken away by the police, had deep cuts and injuries from blunt objects," said a provincial administrator who declined to be named. The bodies were covered with twigs and branches when the villagers happened upon them and raised the alarm. And irate villagers torched nine houses belonging to members of one community in a revenge mission. More than 800 houses have been burnt in Mutaragon, Nyairobi, Lelu, Nyagacho and Kashin villages. Enditem