23 Police Officers Injured As Violence Erupts at Bungoma National Polytechnic

23 police officers from Bungoma Police Station sustained injuries after responding to a riot staged by students. The unrest erupted on Tuesday as students protested against unspecified grievances, prompting police intervention to restore order.

Initial reports indicated that the police, dispatched to quell the disturbance, faced strong resistance from the students, who initially retreated only to regroup with boda boda operators and college staff.

Armed with crude weapons, the rioters launched a second wave of aggression, targeting the institution’s infrastructure in a bid to express their discontent.

According to a police report obtained by Citizen Digital, the students’ chants indicated they believed the police were outmatched, claiming that law enforcement had run out of live ammunition and tear gas, which emboldened them to continue their assault. Defying police barriers, the students retaliated by throwing stones at officers, escalating the situation.

In a shocking turn of events, the unrest saw a police officer’s firearm snatched by a student identified as Officer James Odera. Although the officers managed to retrieve the weapon, the confrontation intensified.

Tragically, the chaos culminated in the shooting of 26-year-old Salome Ayela Wekesa, a second-year student, who died from a police bullet. Her body has been transferred to Bungoma County Referral Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Witness accounts suggest that three officers discharged live ammunition during the disturbance, raising serious questions about police protocols and the use of force in riot control situations.