By Seliphar Machoni
“I voted for President William Ruto because of his clear manifesto and promises to mama mboga
and other Kenyans. Ruto promised to amplify our lives from bottom to top. But what did I get in
return? The cold body of my daughter lying lifeless in the morgue. I am so disappointed with the
president.”
These were the words of Alice Nekesa, the mother of Caroline, who met her untimely death
during the Tuesday, June 25th protests in Kakamega County.
Caroline, a fruit vendor in Kakamega town, was collecting food for dinner from her mother, a
mama mboga, when she was killed.
Alice blamed President William Ruto for her daughter’s death, accusing him of failing to keep
his promises of improving Kenyans’ living standards and instead turning his back on them.
“I thought my child would be there for me when I am old. My heart is bleeding because of my
lost child. Caroline had been given food by her mom to take home when she came across her
untimely death. She succumbed to a bullet that struck the back of her neck during the protests,”
said Caroline’s distressed father, Morris Shiramba, expressing his shock at his daughter’s death.
The violent demise of young, unarmed protesters demonstrating against the controversial
Finance Bill and government oppression has left a trail of sorrow, pain, and agony. The brutality
of the police response has left many parents in shock and disbelief. The loss of a child is an
indescribable grief, understood only by the parent.
For these parents, the agony lies not just in the loss itself but in knowing their children were
taken in a violent and unjust manner by the government they voted in two years ago. They
grapple with questions that may never be answered: Why did their children have to die? Could
anything have prevented these senseless killings? What did they do to warrant such violence?
In Mombasa County, Paul Tata struggled to hold back tears as he viewed the body of his son,
who died after choking on tear gas fumes.
"I never imagined that a government I voted in would, two years later, kill my son," he said.
His son, Emmanuel Tata, a second-year student at Meru National Polytechnic, was caught in the
clash between police and demonstrators at Mombasa's Mwembe Tayari Bus Terminus. Tata said
his son was not part of the protesters; he had left home in Mikindani for Mombasa's Central
Business District with friends to run errands.
"He was my firstborn child, God-fearing and a staunch Christian who never got into trouble. I
hoped he would complete his education and help turn around the family fortunes," he said.
The mourning father had a message for President William Ruto's government, stating that the
youths protesting have nothing to lose.
"We, the surviving parents, are left mourning their loss. I toiled hard to make ends meet and give
my son a decent education, only to lose him at 20. Let the President consider meeting with the
protesting youths. It would have been better if I had died since I have lived long enough," he
said.
In Nairobi County, where the death toll was highest, families searched hospitals and mortuaries
for their loved ones. Rex Masai, 29, was struck by a police bullet on June 20th, 2024. Masai's
mother, Gillian Munyao, said Rex was at work when the bullet hit him.
"The police officer who committed this crime should know the pain I am going through as a
parent; it is the same pain he will feel when he loses a loved one," she said.
Evans Kiratu, 21, died after reportedly being struck by a tear gas canister fired by a police
officer. Kiratu's mother, Ann Wanjiru, was informed by a good Samaritan that he had been badly
injured. On rushing to the hospital, she found her son had died.
"The government we elected two years ago needs to explain why it is killing our children," she
said, struggling to hold back tears.
Caroline Mutisya, mother of Erickson Mutisya, a 25-year-old butcher shot in the chest behind
Parliament, recounted her last moments with her son before leaving for upcountry, unaware he
would participate in the protests.
"I bid them goodbye as I left for Machakos in the morning. I left him getting ready for work. I
called him in the afternoon, and someone else answered, telling me my son had been shot and
was no more," she said.
Mourning her son as hardworking, obedient, and polite, she questioned why the police opened
fire on him when he was unarmed. James Mutisya, Erickson's brother, called for justice and
demanded accountability from the police officer responsible.
"The demonstrations were peaceful. The death of my brother has left a huge gap in our family. I
urge the president to listen to the youth and act," he said.
In Nakuru County, two families sought justice after their children were killed by police repulsing
protesters attempting to enter Nakuru State Lodge on Tuesday. One boy, struggling with mental
illness, was caught up in the chaos after being sent to look for his brothers and was shot dead. He
had six bullet wounds in his leg, neck, head, and stomach.
In the aftermath of the protests, calls for accountability and justice have grown. Human rights
activists demand thorough investigations into the deaths. However, for many parents, the road to
justice seems long and fraught with challenges.
Roseline Odede, chairperson of the KNCHR, said the police response was excessively harsh.
"We witnessed the use of live bullets, rubber bullets, beatings, and indiscriminate tear gas. The
police seemed tear gas-happy, driving into peaceful areas and dropping tear gas on citizens,"
Odede said.
She criticized the police for attacking journalists covering the protests and medical personnel
aiding the injured.
"It seems in Kenya today; peaceful protests are impossible. Protesters are always met with tear
gas and force. We ask authorities to grant Kenyans full access to their article 37 right to protest."
"There is deep-rooted anger among Kenyans. We urge the president to engage with citizens to
understand and address this anger," she said. "This anger transcends all demographic
groups—age, sex, tribe, socioeconomic status.