British man killed by president's convoy in Kenya hit-and-run
The man, who has been named as 79-year-old Edgar Charles Frederick, died on Thursday after being struck in the accident on a main road in the capital, Nairobi.
Police launched an investigation and have arrested the driver of a support vehicle that was travelling as part of President Ruto's official convoy of cars.
Police spokesman Michael Muchiri told the BBC that Mr Frederick had been visiting Kenya to see his sister and nephew who are residents of the country.
The victim's next-of-kin have been informed, and a post-mortem is likely to be conducted later on Friday.
The police said the driver, who failed to stop after the incident, would appear in court following an investigation.
A spokesperson for the UK High Commission said officials were aware of the reports and were seeking more information.
Videos posted on social media show a man in blue jeans and a light-coloured shirt lying bleeding on the road outside a busy shopping area.
Other pictures show the victim covered in a checked shawl, known locally as a Maasai Shuka.
Mr Muchiri told the BBC the vehicle belonged to the regional administration and was providing support to the presidential detail.
President Ruto held events in the vicinity of the scene on Thursday as part of ongoing political engagements with the public in the capital.
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Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
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CNN
7 hours ago
- CNN
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The right to protest is protected under Kenya's constitution but authorities have characterized recent demonstrations as chaotic looting sprees. Kenyan prosecutors slapped several youths with arson and terrorism charges following the protests, and judges imposed hefty bail terms even though many claimed their innocence. Rights groups have condemned the use of terrorism charges. 'We are deeply concerned by the continued misuse of the Prevention of Terrorism Act to manage public order,' according to a statement on Monday from the Police Reforms Working Group, a coalition of civil society organizations that monitors policing. 'This practice undermines Kenya's criminal justice system and jeopardizes critical international partnerships aimed at safeguarding national security.' The Kenyan chapter of the International Commission of Jurists on Sunday said it was 'alarmed by the growing pattern of arbitrary arrests and trumped-up charges targeting innocent youth.' In a statement, the human rights group added: 'What began as targeted persecution of young protesters demanding accountability has metastasized into a full-scale assault on Kenya's democracy.' The government has denied any wrongdoing. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution defended its use of terrorism charges, saying that the protests were 'calculated and coordinated acts of violence' and that the office 'remains committed to executing its constitutional mandate in accordance with the law, public interest, and administration of justice.' 'We wish to reassure the public that all charges have been brought strictly based on available evidence,' it added on Monday. Activists like Mwangi and legal experts say the Kenyan government is criminalizing dissent by using charges such as terrorism, arson and money laundering to stoke fear among protesters. Over the past year, CNN has filmed security forces violently breaking up protests on multiple occasions, shooting at unarmed protesters and assaulting bystanders. At least 38 people were killed and 130 injured in another protest earlier this month, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. President Ruto previously told police officers on July 9 to shoot 'looters and arsonists' in the leg if they considered them a threat, rather than killing them. His Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen went further a week later by issuing a directive for officers to shoot at protesters who approached police stations. The former lecturer of law attempted to walk back the comments after public outcry but did not rescind the directive. On Monday, Murkomen called out those challenging the terror charges, asking: 'If you invade a police station and burn it and steal guns… burn courts… and people's businesses, what is that crime if it is not terrorism?' 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