Kenya mourns vendor killed in protests, as calls grow for Ruto to quit

Police shooting of Boniface Kariuki past period sparks wide grief and choler implicit state-sanctioned constabulary brutality.

Hundreds of mourners person attended the ceremonial of a Kenyan disguise vendor killed by police, arsenic absorption leaders demanded the resignation of President William Ruto implicit comments helium made sanctioning the usage of unit successful caller protests.

The ceremonial of 22-year-old Boniface Kariuki, changeable astatine point-blank scope by an serviceman successful riot cogwheel during a rally against police brutality connected June 17, took spot Friday successful his hometown of Kangema, immoderate 100km (60 miles) northeast of Nairobi.

Kariuki, who died aboriginal successful hospital, was selling masks astatine the rally. He is 1 of much than 100 radical who person been killed crossed Kenya since past year, arsenic constabulary ace down connected waves of protests. The demonstrations were initially sparked by projected taxation rises successful 2024, but they reignited past period aft the decease of blogger Albert Ojwang successful constabulary custody.

The shooting of Kariuki was captured connected movie and shared wide crossed societal media, highlighting constabulary brutality successful the state and galvanising choler towards a authorities galore Kenyans spot arsenic corrupt and unaccountable.

“We are successful sorrow,” said Edwin Kagia, 24, Kariuki’s person and chap vendor. “I utilized to perceive that constabulary termination people, but I could not ideate it would hap to my brother.”

Reporting from Kakuma successful bluish Kenya, Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi said: “People are precise aggravated astir what is happening successful Kenya. There’s a batch of impunity. They accidental there’s atrocious governance and constabulary brutality is conscionable connected different level.”

Young Kenyans chant anti-government slogans arsenic they transportation the coffin of Boniface Kariuki during his ceremonial successful Kangema, connected July 11, 2025 [Luis Tato/ AFP]

President nether pressure

Amid the grief implicit the vendor’s death, President Ruto came nether expanding unit to measurement down, 2 days aft helium called for constabulary to sprout and “break the legs” of radical recovered looting oregon damaging spot during protests.

Opposition fig Kalonzo Musyoka said the president’s bid was “against the constitution” and that helium should “resign oregon beryllium impeached”.

Human rights groups person called for restraint among police, arsenic it emerged that much than 50 radical were killed successful 2 large demonstrations this year, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission connected Human Rights.

Al Jazeera’s Soi said determination had besides been a “spate of abductions”.

“Kenyans are rather aggravated … due to the fact that constabulary officers are present to assistance Kenyans and to support Kenyans, but that is not happening,” she said.

Four constabulary officers are presently facing execution charges implicit the caller deaths of protesters.

Three officers were past period charged with the decease of blogger Ojwang aft a postmortem study stated that his injuries were not self-inflicted, arsenic alleged by police.

On Thursday, an serviceman was charged with Kariuki’s murder. A plea proceeding for the serviceman is acceptable for July 28.

Several mothers of the young radical who person been killed successful protests since past twelvemonth were contiguous astatine the vendor’s burial.

Meanwhile, Kenya swore successful a radical of apical electoral officials connected Friday, hours aft their support by Ruto, pursuing months of ineligible wrangling.

The assignment of a caller president and six commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission fills indispensable positions that had agelong been near vacant successful a state with a agelong past of contentious and often convulsive elections.

The appointments were delayed by ineligible petitions from activists questioning the “qualifications, integrity, relevance and meritocracy of the candidates”, according to the High Court ruling that dismissed their case. The appointees volition service for six years.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies