CEO for Vocal Africa Hussein Khalid/XVocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid has condemned the use of firearms by police against suspects, insisting that officers must prioritise arrest over lethal force.
“The Constitution and laws of Kenya are clear—police should arrest suspects, not shoot on sight,” he said.
Hussein warned that those who use excessive force would be held accountable.
“If you use excessive force unnecessarily, we will come for you. We don’t care where those orders are coming from. The sanctity of life must be respected by all,” he said.
He added that no one, including Cabinet Secretaries or the President, is above the law, and even shooting in the air is careless, as it can injure or kill innocent Kenyans like Bridgit Njoki Wainaina.
Bridgit, 12, was killed by a stray bullet while watching TV with her mother in their home during the Saba Saba protests.
Her mother, Lucy Ngugi, said the girl suddenly bled and collapsed.
“I thought she had a cut. I held her hand, then she collapsed. When I checked her head, it was bleeding,” she recalled.
Ngugi called for help from her husband, Leonard Wainaina. They rushed Bridgit to a nearby hospital, but she was pronounced dead during resuscitation.
The family said their home was about two kilometres from the protest scene, raising concerns about the range and safety of police gunfire.
Hussein reiterated that police must act within the law. “Arrest is the first course of action. That’s what the law demands. No shortcuts.”
