Clashes In Kenya

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30130, 14 May 1963, Page 16

Clashes In Kenya

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) NAIROBI, May 12. Bows and poisoned arrows, pangas, staves and polios batons were wielded during a political riot in Kenya today. The riot occurred when rival African political groups clashed during a Kenya African National Union rally at Kangundo, 40 miles from Nairobi, At least 14 persons were injured in clashes between the rival groups and police. Police fired tear gas into the rampaging rioters and mounted baton charges. The K.A.N.U. rally was being held in the home town and stronghold of Mr Paul Ngei, leader of the breakaway African People’s Party. Trouble started even before the rally began. Wakamba tribesmen armed with bows and arrows, pangas and staves ambushed vehicles carrying K.A.N.U. supporters to the rally. Men of the Kenya police general service unit charged the milling, fighting crowds.

Police arrested one man carrying a bow and poisontipped arrows. A police officer said the poison could have killed a man in 10 seconds. Police made 50 arrests—4s of them for possession of weapons. The local District Commissioner previously cancelled the rally "in the interest of security,’’ but the Acting Governor (Sir Eric GriffithJones) over-ruled this decision.

At Kitale, an important farming town in north-west Kenya, police broke up a stone-throwing, knive-wield-ing African crowd demonstrating outside a political party’s branch headquarters. A white assistant police superintendent and four Africans were taken to hospital and 11 Africans were arrested. At Thika, 30 miles northeast of Nairobi, police broke up an illegal political parade. They arrested 40 marchers and four other Africans found. in possession of weapons.