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Tea Farmer Shot Dead in Fracas
- Details
- Published on Friday, 20 July 2007 07:41
The deceased was identified as John Nyagero of Passi Masige location in Bobasi constituency.
His body was removed from the scene and taken to Kisii District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination.
Nyamache District Officer George Chelagat wondered why police used live bullets to disperse the farmers.
"The police were under instructions not to use live bullets to disperse the protesting farmers.
"I am surprised that they ignored our instructions," Chelagat told the Press at the scene. He said appropriate action would be taken against the officer who fired the shot that killed the farmer.
And a lorry driver transporting green tea leaves was stoned and left unconscious by the protesting farmers after he refused to stop. He was rushed to Ogembo hospital where he was admitted.
Earlier, 2,000 farmers affiliated to the factory had assembled outside the premises wanting the management to address a number of grievances.
However, they started stoning vehicles carrying green leaves to the factory prompting the security officers to open fire. The farmers scampered for dear life as regular and Administration Police officers used live bullets to disperse them.
Learning at a nearby school was disrupted as the farmers took cover in the classrooms prompting pupils to flee.
By the time of going to press, Chelagat, the District Criminal Investigations Officer, Otieno Nyambok, and senior security officers were interrogating the more than 30 policemen in a bid to identify the one who fired the fatal shot. Chelagat told farmers to desist from holding illegal demonstrations.
"Their grievances were being addressed in a meeting with their representatives in my office when they became violent and started stoning vehicles ferrying tea leaves to the factory," factory manager K Lokorito, told the Press in his office
Among the grievances the farmers presented to the Press are failure by the factory to pay farmers their interim bonus payments and being forced to be members of Bobasi Tea Savings and Credit Co-operative Society.
They are also demanding the dismissal of tea extension officers and a clerk whom they claimed was frustrating them.
