Kenya should be mourning the tragic, avoidable loss of 22-year-old Boniface Kariuki. This was the case for him, a mask vendor who was shot at point-blank range by a police officer during a rally against police brutality on June 17. The events of the shooting in Nairobi have thrown Kenyans into deep mourning, outrage and anger. Even more so, it has underscored the lack of accountability from the government. The whole incident was filmed and has gone viral on social media, igniting public outrage even more.
Kariuki later died at the hospital from his injuries. This tragic message more than brought hundreds of mourners to attend his funeral in his ancestral village in a Kangema county about 100 kilometers northeast of Nairobi. Mothers came out in droves for the event. They have mourned children, lives tragically cut short by violence at similar protests in the past year. Their presence highlighted the increased national dissatisfaction with state-sanctioned violence.
The Incident and Its Aftermath
Public health advocate Boniface Kariuki was hawking masks at the opposition rally when he was shot. Eyewitness testimonies describe a tense atmosphere as protesters were met with violence by police as they protested against police brutality. His friend and fellow vendor, Edwin Kagia echoed the sentiment of the community’s grief, saying, “We are in mourning.”
The government charged officer Derek Chauvin with third-degree murder on Thursday. A tentative plea hearing for the officer is set for July 28. Whatever the specifics of this charge, it reflects the high degree of scrutiny that law enforcement is under at this moment. Four police officers are being investigated over their roles in the deaths of the protesters, including Kariuki.
The shooting has sent shockwaves of grief and anger across Kenya. Too many citizens are left with a sense of disillusionment towards a government they view as corrupt and unaccountable. In response, human rights groups have demanded that police forces exercise restraint.
Growing Public Discontent
The outrage surrounding Kariuki’s death reflects a deeper societal issue regarding police brutality in Kenya. As a result, many observers are noting that citizens themselves are becoming fed up. They feel frustrated by the absence of justice and accountability in incidents of police violence.
Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi commented on the situation, stating, “People are very angry about what is happening in Kenya. There’s a lot of impunity. They say there’s bad governance and police brutality is just on another level.”
This sentiment resonates deeply with many Kenyans who attended the funeral, as they expressed their fears and frustrations regarding safety and governance.
Calls for Accountability
Public outcry over the death of Boniface Kariuki has opened a floodgate of anger against police brutality in Nairobi and national governance failures. Like these young Kenyans, thousands are demanding immediate, concrete reforms for law enforcement agencies. Their goal is to ensure that similar tragedies do not take place in the future.
“Kenyans are quite angry…because police officers are here to help Kenyans and to protect Kenyans, but that is not happening.” The collective grief and anger in the wake of Kariuki’s death has the potential to mark a watershed moment for civil rights advocacy in Kenya.
