Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of Boniface Kariuki, a 22-year-old Kenyan mask vendor killed by police during a rally against police brutality. The funeral took place in his hometown of Kangema, about 100km northeast of Nairobi, Kenya. Kariuki’s death has sparked widespread grief and anger, with many Kenyans demanding justice and accountability from the government.
The shooting of Kariuki was captured on film and shared widely on social media, highlighting police brutality in the country. According to Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Kakuma in northern Kenya, “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.”
President William Ruto has come under increasing pressure to step down, two days after he called for police to shoot and “break the legs” of people found looting or damaging property during protests. Opposition figure Kalonzo Musyoka said the president’s order was “against the constitution” and that he should “resign or be impeached”. Human rights groups have also called for restraint among police, as it emerged that more than 50 people were killed in two major demonstrations this year.
The protests were initially sparked by proposed tax rises in 2024 but reignited last month after the death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody. Kariuki’s friend and fellow vendor, Edwin Kagia, said, “We are in sorrow… I used to hear that police kill people, but I could not imagine it would happen to my brother.”
Four police officers are currently facing murder charges over the recent deaths of protesters. An officer was charged with Kariuki’s murder, and a plea hearing is set for July 28. The appointment of a new chairman and six commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission fills essential positions that had long been left vacant in a country with a long history of contentious and often violent elections.
The situation in Kenya remains dire, with many Kenyans demanding justice and accountability from the government. Soi noted, “Kenyans are quite angry… because police officers are here to help Kenyans and to protect Kenyans, but that is not happening.” The international community is watching closely, and the situation is likely to continue to unfold in the coming days and weeks.