Youth complain of police harassment

Youth in Nakuru East Ward in Nakuru West sub-county have decried the harassment by police officers terming it as an unfair treatment.

Participants during the Prevention of Urban Violence at Freearea Social Hall

Speaking at Freearea Social Hall on Friday during an Urban Violence Prevention workshop, the youth who formed a large percent of those in attendance complained that they are misunderstood and judged and treated unfairly by the community and authorities.

“As a member of an entertainment troupe, my dressing hair and dressing style may be different from the norm but this does not mean am a criminal,” complained Benson Kimani who leads an entertainment group in the area.

Kimani further added that many of the functions they attend are held at night so they should not be termed as lazy idlers if they are free during the day.

“Sometimes we have functions that run the whole weekend up to Wednesday and when you find us talking in the streets, it’s not that we are lazy, we’ve worked and are now catching up with our social life,” added Kimani.

Another young man, Samuel Mburu said that sometimes high school students have to be in school up to around 6:30 PM and they sometimes get home after 7:00 PM.

“I was once arrested and spent the whole night in the police cell when I met police in patrol. I was still in my school uniform and had my school bag with me but the police officers did not want to reason with me. I was only released in the morning without charges and went to school very late,” lamented Samuel.

The Urban Violence Forum was organized by the Midrift Human Rights Network in conjunction with the local administration including Nyumba Kumi leaders and the police.

In attendance were members of the civil society, area chief, assistant county commissioner and senior police bosses from the area.