The Milimani Law Courts fell into an uneasy silence on Monday before descending into chaos. In the middle of proceedings, the activists stood up and voiced their concerns on what they termed as police brutality in the country.
Their voices trembled with emotion but also came across as determined. The activists talked about a nation’s suffering. The activists also claimed to be talking about fear, which has silenced many people.
“Fear and silence are why we are dying. We will not be silent anymore,” one of them shouted.
The courtroom fell into silence as lawyers stopped what they were doing, court staff members looked puzzled, and members of the public turned to get a glance at what was happening.
In no time, police officers approached them and asked them to leave. One of them refused to leave, warning the officers not to touch him. The atmosphere then became thick with tension.
The officers then picked the two activists and escorted them out. Their voices on justice and freedom echoed as they left. One of them claimed to be willing to die for the truth.
Hours earlier, political leaders in the country had claimed that two people had died and many had been injured at a political rally in Kitengela.
As night fell, what had transpired at Milimani spread across the nation. There are many questions about what had transpired. In essence, what had transpired in the courtroom echoed one simple fact: how charged the issue of police brutality has become.