Nairobi: Religious leaders in Garissa have warned the local residents against attributing a tribal or religious motive to the killing of a taxi driver in Garissa by a police officer earlier this week, noting that such intention could escalate conflicts in the county.
According to Kenya News Agency, Aden Mohamed, a 24-year-old taxi driver, was allegedly shot dead by a DCI officer at the Modika roadblock early Tuesday morning this week. Speaking on Friday after a meeting between the County Commissioner and Members of the Garissa County assembly, the religious leaders said that an offence of a single individual should not be generalized into a community or religious transgression. Led by the Garissa SUPKEM Branch Chairperson, Sheikh Hassan Abdi, the leaders are now calling on the youth in the area to stop demonstrations over the matter as investigations continue.
The leaders further urge all political leaders and youths to promote peace in the county and ensure peaceful coexistence among all residents regardless of their tribe or religion. Sheikh Hassan emphasized that the act committed by the officer is criminal and should not be associated with any race, religion, or tribe. He called for the officer in question to be charged in a court of law to bring relief to the citizens. Although several days have passed without an arrest, the county commissioner assured that investigations are advanced and the officer will be apprehended.
Osman Ibrahim, peace committee chairperson in Dadaab Sub County, expressed regret that peaceful demonstrations demanding swift investigations had been infiltrated by criminals attacking citizens and businesses. He stressed the importance of finding and charging the officer responsible to prevent future incidents.
Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo stated that following discussions with stakeholders, planned demonstrations in Garissa County had been called off after they resulted in property destruction. He assured residents that justice would be served and the suspect would face charges.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) reported undertaking various actions, including attending the post-mortem examination, recording witness statements, and documenting the crime scene. The authority urged the public to remain calm for the smooth progress of ongoing investigations.
