This archive report was first published on 10 September 2019.
November 2017 was a tumultuous time in Kenya's history, with the nullification of the presidential elections and the subsequent return of Raila Odinga from a ten-day trip to the US. The city of Nairobi resembled a war zone, with heavily armed security personnel manning the streets and roadblocks erected on major highways. The JKIA was a no-go zone, and defiant Raila Odinga and NASA supporters vowed to welcome their leader at the airport, despite the bullets mowing through their bodies.
At the time, Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Nairobi County Commander Japhet Koome had outlawed the Nasa supporters' meeting at the airport, citing security concerns. Jubilee MPs openly urged the police to use their bullets to rip through NASA supporters, whom they called 'goons' with no stakes in the country's economy.
Fast forward to today, and it's clear that the same brutality and oppression that Raila's supporters faced are now being experienced by others. The vocal cheerleaders of police brutality are now crying foul, forgetting that just two years ago, they believed brutality was only a preserve for people who belonged to specific political persuasions.
There are lessons to be learned from this cycle of oppression. Agitation and a clamor for a more just society is not a preserve for specific ethnic communities or political persuasions. It's our collective responsibility as Kenyans to call out the ill perpetuated by the state against its own people.
As we navigate these strange times, it's essential to remember that oppression knows no tribe, religion, or political persuasion. We must ensure that we stand together against state intimidation and work towards a more just society for all.
