New revelations have surfaced in the shooting of Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, a mask vendor who was gunned down during youth-led protests demanding the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
According to a survivor interviewed by Citizen TV, the same police officer who shot Kariuki is also responsible for shooting him eight times.
Samuel Omondi Okoth, who is currently undergoing treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital, recounted the harrowing ordeal.
“One bullet is still stuck in my spine, and they were afraid to interfere with it. The doctor managed to remove seven bullets,” Omondi told reporters, adding that he was targeted simply for questioning the officer’s actions.
“I confronted the officer who came out from behind the car, and we met face to face. After this man [Boniface] had been shot, I wanted to ask him why they are killing innocent people,” Omondi explained.
The protests, which broke out in the Mwiki area of Nairobi, were triggered by public outrage following the rape and brutal murder of 18-year-old Abigael Wina Wanjiku.
Residents had taken to the streets on June 20 to demand accountability and justice, only to be met with what many have described as excessive force by police.
Among those fatally shot during the protests was 19-year-old Joshua Njihia, whose death has further inflamed tensions.
According to eyewitnesses and CCTV footage, the officer responsible for the shooting fled the scene on a motorbike immediately after opening fire.
Njihia’s father made a heartfelt appeal to President William Ruto, urging him to end the unchecked violence by security forces.
“Our children are dying. This is not policing it’s war against our own youth,” he said.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has strongly condemned the use of live ammunition on unarmed civilians.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo described the incidents as a “senseless loss of life” and called for immediate action. “This impunity must come to an end,” she said in a statement.
As scrutiny of the police intensifies, civil rights groups and members of the public are demanding a full investigation into the conduct of officers during the protests.
Calls are growing louder for the resignation of Deputy IG Eliud Lagat and for independent oversight of law enforcement operations.
Meanwhile, families of the victims continue to seek justice, as the nation confronts yet another painful chapter in the ongoing struggle against police brutality.
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