Grief and outrage as Boniface Kariuki dies after police shooting

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A wave of grief and national outrage swept across Kenya on Monday evening following news that Boniface Kariuki, the 22-year-old mask hawker who was shot in the head by police during protests in Nairobi, had died. 

He had been in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital since June 17, where neurosurgeons had battled to save his life. His death, confirmed by the family, immediately triggered emotional tributes, angry demands for justice, and renewed calls for police accountability.

According to the family, doctors informed them that Boniface had been declared brain dead, even though machines were still keeping his heart beating.

His cousin Emily Wanjira said the family was devastated and struggling to come to terms with the loss of a young man whose only crime was trying to earn a living.

“He was not a thief. He was not armed. He was not even shouting. He was just selling masks to survive,” she said through tears.

The family appealed to Kenyans of goodwill to help them clear the accumulating hospital bill and prepare for his burial.

They have set up a fundraising channel via M-Pesa Paybill 7682551 under the name Boniface Mwangi Kariuki Medical Fund.

Lawyers representing the family and civil society groups condemned the shooting and the slow pace of justice.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo reiterated her earlier stance that the officers responsible must not only be charged but the chain of command also held accountable.

"Boniface’s death cannot be brushed off as another statistic in the long list of police excesses. This is a state crime. We demand a full inquest and a public apology from the highest office in the land,” she said.

International Justice Mission (IJM-Kenya) and Amnesty International also issued fresh statements urging the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to act without delay.

Kenyans took to social media with heartbreak and fury.

Hashtags like #JusticeForBoniface and #SayHisName flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, where users posted tribute videos, candle emojis, and images of white roses placed at the site where Boniface was shot.

One user wrote, “A mask seller is dead. For what? For asking for a better future?” Others vowed to continue the now-weekly solidarity actions dubbed Mask Friday in his honour.

Boniface had undergone two brain operations, including one to remove a rubber bullet lodged in his skull.

While his condition briefly stabilized, doctors confirmed that the injury was too severe.

Two(2) police officers have since been suspended and arrested, with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continuing to probe the incident.

The matter remains in court, but as the country mourns, questions persist about how many more young lives will be lost before police reform becomes more than a promise.