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Who on earth goes to a primary school with kids
and uses tear gas canisters and police dogs? Their crime; occupying public land
that used to be their playground. A private developer or is it investor having blocked
off the playground from the reach of the primary school children while they
were away on holiday. Intelligentsia it appeared, had briefed the police
that events would turn messy as they did go there in five cars, both
administration and regular police.
I was on my way back to school to pick my school certificate and saw what
transpired while in the car. On this day things happened. Public outcry had
seen to it that pupils in school get their rights, their right of play. A right
some pupils in some schools have been denied because they are private schools
or in public schools where land grabbers act with a lot of indemnity and there
is no public outcry. It is only because the school is in a relatively affluent
area (near Weston Hotel, Airport View Estate, Wilson Airport and Amref) that
they were able to repossess the land awaiting final judgement?
Our school had three fields. One was known as big field and also had seats like
those found in a stadium or those that are found in a theatre or cinema (reversed
though) such that those near the playground sat on the lower seats while
those at the furthest point had to walk up.
Big field had two football fields, a netball field, handball field and extra
space for hawkers and peddlers to sell their wares. It was usually used for major
sports like athletic and football competitions not only by the school but
sometimes by secondary schools and some important events in the town that
necessarily did not involve pupils. Mostly, we did not go to big field because
it was far away from the classes. The other two fields were such that those
students in upper primary classes had their own field and those in lower
primary also had their own fields, all having hockey pitches.
The good thing with the primary school I went was that the school had workers
who would use lawn mowers every other time grass had overgrown and was looking hideous or could hide animals and insects that were harmful and
dangerous and thus could injure children. As such the lawns of the fields were
beautifully manicured and well maintained.
Near the field next to that of the upper primary field was a basket ball pitch and
the Sanatorium. In the event you felt nauseated or traumatized they would take
you there (whether in the field, class or dormitory). Opposite the field next
to lower primary, the well secured and nicely built hose belonging to the
School Principal (It had a principal and headmaster). Since the school was a
colonial relic, most of the houses (for teachers) and classes were designed in
a manner that bespoke of Anglo-Saxon architecture. Still it was a public
school, one that still held onto the culture of teaching children the
traditions of Englishmen using Kenyan curriculum.
But today I witnessed a new dawn in governance. Sad that it had to end terribly
with close to five children injured. What the land grabbers were telling the
government subtly was, “Why don’t you buy children play stations?” Sugarcoating
the truth and letting things be without questioning them has now become a national
past time.
Mmmh, like the media said, there is not a single person identified as a private
developer, all of them (media houses) only say some private developers made
inroads on public land, I also don’t know those private developers *hides face*.
When the children were tear gassed by police, the acting IG suspended the
officer in charge of Lang’ata. Is this not an act of saving face it being a
cosmetic exercise? How sure or accurate is this claim now that it reeks of
being fallacious? Don’t police usually receive orders from above before they
can start pelting those obnoxious and irritating weapons of controlling those picketing?
While in campus, it was like a routine that almost all semesters students demonstrated
and had to be shielded back to the hostel using tear gas. In campus the cat and
mouse games were fun to some students but when the police realized that they
are not reining on students, they pelted more sometimes rarely even using live
bullets. Spent cartridges collected hinted to this.
I know the harsh and piercing feeling having firsthand experience having gone
for some of the protests and demonstrations and it is never fun as at times ended
tragically. Tear gas fired by police causes one to have a runny nose and the eyes
flow tears like it is a waterfall. In campus however they could never dare use
police dogs. It would have meant death of the dogs as students united
irrespective of the courses they pursued and hurled stones that forced police
to retreat when their tear gas canisters got exhausted.
Some students were however brave and caught the canister in the mid-air and projected
back the pieces to the police.The police once tried using horses but rescinded
when it became so hectic.
Once, students protested against the killing of a comrade by the police and
this effectively meant that comrades were to go to the streets. The altercation
lasted from morning to evening when the police were forced to propel canisters
to the surging students to take them back to the hostels. It was horrible, my
friend came back running like an antelope to the hostel and went straight to
the shower, the canister having landed next to him. It was exam time and that
night, students were sent home with immediate effect as the exams were also
cancelled indefinitely. We went for Christmas having not finished exams.
Concerning the Lang’ata Road Primary School, giving pupils sticks to use to attack
police is a complete no no. School children need to be taught on the best ways
to ward off provocation by the police. Police are law enforcers and the
protesters who accompanied the children should have taught the children better.
They might end up disrespecting the police and this is not right. In as much as
the pupils were provoked, they need to have even protected the environment also
(bet they are taught about environment). Twigs are a way of demonstration in
our country which pollutes the scenic beauty of land. Peaceful demonstration where
the police are alerted is something that as citizens they need to be taught or
have known. I am passionate about the environment and using twigs and careless
disposal of the same is something that should be preached against.
I am watching from a far as the events unfold though. I am hopeful that
children in public school who some people consider as of peasant heritage will
continue to enjoy their rights as any other children. Just a stone throw away
is Jonathan Gloag Academy where the children of the moneyed taken and they
speak impeccable English as opposed to the Sheng prone Lang’ata Road Primary.
Chances are they never knew that unpleasant scenes had ensured on Lang’ata road
and there was a heavy traffic snarl up since Kenyans like watching were it is
happening.
When it is said and done, this day will go down the memory lane as a day that
the Kenyan people had fought against the forces of impunity. The government
cannot watch as land owned by a public entity is grabbed. The people are the government,
and the government is the custodian of the people’s property. We don’t need to
picket to ensure our rights are not infringed. The late Wangari Maathai risked
her life to ensure the city was rid off from the grabbing of Uhuru Park by
those who never wanted or cared about a recreational site within the city.
Reason why she won the highly coveted Nobel peace prize.
I am lost of words and when it reaches such a point, I usually sin off by
saying.
SITUONANE.
[Photo Source: Google Images]
[Photo Source: Google Images]
