Sakaja blasts civilian gun holder for taking selfies, gory videos in 14 Riverside attack

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has criticised individuals who rushed to the scene of the attack at 14 Riverside to take selfies and gory images of victim’s bodies.

Speaking exclusively to Citizen Digital, a seemingly irate Sakaja said the lives of the Kenyan people must be respected at all times adding that desperate attempts to show “heroism” are uncalled for.

“And those who went to take selfies and videos  trying to show Kenyans that you are also tough will be arrested today. That is nonsense!! We must have order in this country!…Kenyans deserve respect,” said Sakaja.

He said even though some civilians, who are also licensed gun holders, were of great help on Tuesday, leading victims to safety, there were countable individuals who did not have good will.

Sakaja further narrated how during the Westgate attack in 2013, Abdul Haji, an armed civilian was lauded by the President for risking his own life to save mothers and children from the mall.

On Tuesday, another hero was spotted at the scene and he has been identified as Inayat Kassam.

However, speaking to Citizen Digital on Wednesday morning, Senator Sakaja pointed fingers at a different individual who was spotted during the Riverside attack brandishing an automatic weapon.

“The Kenyan law is clear on the kind of weapons civilians can have in their possession…You cannot have automatic weapon, you can have pistols, shotguns and semi-automatic firearms but there are different categories but there are certain firearms that civilian should not have,” he said.

Sakaja added that the law still applies even when dealing with an active crime scene.

The Senator noted that civilians are allowed to carry concealed weapons for their own safety and the safety of other civilians around them but not to take pictures for social media.

The Senator has called for calm even as the operation to flush out the attackers continues.