Nursery pupils hit in Nasa demos in Kisumu, again

A Red Cross worker attends to some of the minors at Mount Carmel Academy in Nyalenda after they were tear-gassed as police battled protesters in Nyalenda. PHOTO | JUSTUS OCHIENG | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • According to their teachers, anti-riot police fired teargas and sprayed the minor’s classroom at Mount Carmel Academy in Nyalenda on Friday.

  • The officers unleashed the corrosive gas on the minors as they battled supporters of the National Super Alliance (Nasa) outside the institution.

At least 20 nursery school pupils have been rushed to a Kisumu hospital after they were caught up and hit in anti-IEBC demos.

According to their teachers, anti-riot police fired teargas and sprayed the minor’s classroom at Mount Carmel Academy in Nyalenda on Friday.

The officers unleashed the corrosive gas on the minors as they battled supporters of the National Super Alliance (Nasa) outside the institution.

FIRST AID

Ms Pauline Ogosa, a teacher at the school, said the children, some below two years, were attacked as they rested.

They were asleep, she said.

"The children cried uncontrollably while others looked almost unconscious due to the effect of the gas and the water," Ms Ogosa said.

Red Cross workers gave the minors First Aid before taking them to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital.

Nyanza regional police boss Leonard Katana said he was not aware of the attack on the pupils.

The incident comes barely two weeks after pupils of St Peter's Awich Kodingo ECDE, also in Nyalenda, were tear-gassed by police.

In recent months, the Kenya Police Service has been on the spot for alleged brutality, with scores of demonstrators killed in Nasa demos against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.