Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has responded sharply to a critic who condemned her choice of words while commenting on police brutality against a Multimedia University student.
In a discussion on X, Passaris had labeled the police actions as “unwarranted and unprofessional!” after a local media outlet reported on the incident. However, a user named Wanjiru Githiomi replied, asserting that the incident was not just “unprofessional” but “outright criminal.” Githiomi also criticized Passaris for her support of the Kenya Kwanza government, suggesting it was complicit in the police actions.
“What do you mean ‘unprofessional’? This is outright criminal!” Githiomi wrote. “Your loyalty to this regime makes you liable for these acts. Hold your peace—speak not!”
Passaris fired back, stating, “Too much English and you don’t know what I mean by ‘unprofessional’? Seriously. What is wrong is wrong.”
She emphasized that the government has mechanisms to address police misconduct, saying, “We are not a failed state; though we have many failures. By the way, the ‘we’ includes you and me as citizens irrespective of our positions at work or on the state of work.”
Passaris continued, “I am responsible, but I take no responsibility for that which I am not responsible for. Collectively, ‘we’ are all responsible. Speak your mind. I too will speak my mind. You do not have more rights than I do. Get off your high horse of know-it-all-all. You don’t. Neither do I.”
The exchange followed an incident where several anti-riot police officers were recorded assaulting a student, who appeared to be injured, during a protest. One officer was seen dropping a detonated tear gas canister next to the student, which exploded inches away from him as he lay on the ground in pain.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when Multimedia University students protested and disrupted traffic on Magadi Road, demanding better conditions. The video sparked outrage online, with many Kenyans calling for the officers involved to be held accountable.
Multimedia University student leaders condemned the brutality, stating, “His elbow was dislocated in an apparent display of disregard for human life. The officers left him in a perilous situation.” They added that they would not be intimidated by such actions and vowed to continue their strike.
