By Odinta Oluma Christiana
A Kenyan teenager was shot dead during clashes with police as demonstrators sought to block Thursday’s presidential re-run in the western city of Kisumu, police and hospital sources said.
“He was brought here with a gunshot wound to the upper thigh. He died in the hospital,” a source at Jaramogi hospital told AFP, identifying him as 19-year-old George Odhiambo and saying he had died of massive blood loss.
An AFP correspondent at the hospital also saw his body. A senior police source confirmed the information and said a second protester had been killed, but AFP was unable to immediately confirm the report.
“We have two deaths. That is what we know as of now,” he told AFP, saying they were shot dead during clashes in the morning.
The hospital source said at least four people with bullet wounds had been admitted for treatment as well as another two with minor injuries who had been beaten by police.
Meanwhile, a man was stabbed and seriously wounded while on his way to vote in the coastal city of Mombasa, police chief Benjamin Rotich said.
“We are investigating the matter, but no suspect has been arrested so far,” he said, indicating the attack happened in the southern area of Likoni.
The injuries came as Kenya voted in a bitterly- disputed presidential election boycotted by opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose supporters have taken to the streets in several strongholds, sparking clashes with police.