A teenage student was shot dead, a police officer was seriously
injured, and government property worth millions was destroyed after violent
protests rocked Molo town during Wednesday’s Gen-Z anniversary demonstrations.
A stray bullet is said to have hit Dennis Njuguna Ngugi, 17,
a Form Three student at Njenga Karume Secondary School, killing him on the
spot.
According to an OB report filed at Molo Police Station, the
protests began peacefully around 9:30 a.m. with over 500 youths gathering at
Tayari and Keepleft areas.
But the situation
escalated by noon when a crowd of nearly 800 more joined the march at Peace
area heading toward Munju.
The protesters began pelting vehicles with stones and
blocking the Molo–Elburgon road with bonfires.
Officers from the GSU Jolly Farm Camp tried to control the
crowd but were overwhelmed.
“The mob surrounded our team and stoned the officers. One of
them, Constable Samuel Waititu, lost a tooth,” the police report said.
The police fired in the air to disperse the crowd.
Two other protesters were injured.
Frank Mirithu, 19, a student at Turi Secondary, sustained a
leg injury.
By 5:00 p.m., the crowd, now about 2,000 strong, marched to
Molo Police Station, attempting to overrun it.
In the chaos, they burned down the police dog kennel, looted
a Coca-Cola kiosk at the gate, vandalised market stalls, and stole from nearby
shops.
Security reinforcements arrived from Njoro, Kuresoi South,
and two GSU sections, but the crowd moved to Molo Sub-County Municipal Offices.
There, they set ablaze a fire engine, a water bowser, three
vehicles, and a tractor. At around 8:00 p.m., the mob broke into Capital
Supermarket and looted goods of unknown value.
Three suspects were arrested while allegedly escaping with stolen items.
“The group also tried to attack the MP’s residence but were
repulsed by security teams,” the report noted.
Police drawn from APS Molo, ASTU Elburgon, and several
surrounding sub-counties helped contain the threat.
The body of the deceased student was moved to Molo
Sub-County Mortuary for autopsy.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has been
notified and investigations are ongoing, police said.
