This archive report was first published on 26 June 2020.
On June 26, 2020, a tense standoff between police officers and a crowd in Lessos, Nandi County, Kenya, turned deadly, leaving three people dead and several injured.
The incident began when police attempted to arrest a boda boda rider for violating COVID-19 regulations by carrying two passengers, despite a Ministry of Health directive limiting riders to a single passenger to ensure social distancing.
As police officers tried to repel the crowd, a 40-year-old cobbler was shot dead, and an angry mob marched to the Lessos Police Station, where they torched a residential house belonging to the Officer in Charge and attempted to set the armoury on fire.
Two rioters lost their lives during the chaos, one after falling off a flag post and another who was shot dead while trying to set the armoury ablaze.
Inspector-General Hillary Mutyambai ordered the arrest of the officers involved in the shooting and expressed regret over the loss of life, while also assuring that a thorough investigation would be conducted.
The case has been referred to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which has taken up the matter.
