A Grade 10 girl is nursing a head injury after she was hit by a teargas canister during a tense confrontation between students and police at Siaya Township Secondary School.
The trouble started at the school compound earlier in the day. Police officers arrived after students began demonstrating, and at some point, teargas was fired to control the crowd. It is during this commotion that the student was struck on the head by a canister. Fellow students who saw her fall said she was bleeding and crying in pain.
She was first rushed to Siaya Referral Hospital. But according to several students who spoke to us, hospital staff turned her away without giving a clear reason why she could not be treated. It is not yet clear why that happened.
With no help at the referral hospital, the girl’s classmates quickly moved her to Siaya Medical Centre, a private facility within the township. There, doctors finally attended to her wounds. Sources at the private hospital say she is now out of danger but still needs to be watched closely.
Police have not yet released an official statement explaining what led to the confrontation. Some students claim the protest started over poor living conditions at the school, but this has not been confirmed.
School officials have also remained silent. However, an education officer from the area told this reporter that an investigation has been opened. “We want to know exactly how a child got hurt while inside a school compound,” the officer said.
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