The couple was felled by police bullets in Githurai on Sunday. Photo/ MUTHONI NJUKI
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 20 – Only eight months into her life, it’s unlikely she’ll remember her parent’s used her as a human shield when they exchanged fire with the police in a 12-hour gun battle.
It’s unlikely she’ll remember the sound of the four grenades her parents’ lobbed at the police officers who waited outside their Githurai flat but the six officers who were injured in the battle are not likely to forget.
Nor is Kasarani police chief Augustine Nthumbi likely to forget in a hurry the eight-month-old baby his men might have hurt when they were forced to use tear gas to end the bloody exchange, he told Capital FM News a day after the incident.
He was however relieved to hear the baby girl, whose name remains unknown, emerged unscathed. “We took her to hospital because we were afraid the tear gas had affected her but we were told she is fine.”
Nthumbi however continues to be protective of the child who is not able to do much other than crawl. “We released her to a home but given who her parents’ were, I’m not comfortable revealing that information to the public.”
No one can blame him for honouring his pledge to serve and protect given it took the police an entire night and part of Sunday morning to bring down Felix Nyanganga and his wife.
Once Nyanganga and his wife fell victim to police bullets, it emerged they had two more grenades and 64 rounds of ammunition in their home.
Another night and part of a morning later, Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo revealed Nyanganga had been in the police cross hairs as a wanted man and it is fortuitous the eight month old baby was not caught in the cross fire.
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