Another member of the anti-finance bill protests in Nairobi has died.
Twenty-one-year-old Evans Kiratu was injured in the groin area after being struck by a teargas canister, allegedly by the police.
He was rushed to the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after being picked up in the streets.
Kiratu, a native of Kiambu county, had joined other Kenyans in protesting the Finance Bill 2024 on Thursday, June 20, when he met the brute force of the police.
He had suffered internal bleeding.
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Kiratu's death a day after the death of Rex Masai, another protester killed by gunshot.
Reports indicated that he was shot in the evening by a live bullet reportedly fired by a police officer.
According to Netizens, the incident was captured on CCTV and efforts are being made to trace the officer linked to the incident.
Activist Boniface Mwangi reached out to Rex's mum and helped with moving the body to the City mortuary.
"I have met with Rex’s mum, and we are on our way to City Mortuary. Since it’s a homicide, the police have said the body has to be booked in a public mortuary. After the post-mortem, we shall move Rex," Mwangi said.
Kenyans, under the hashtag, #JusticeForRex, are demanding the cop linked to the murder be arrested and tried in court.
They questioned why police officers used live bullets during the anti-finance bill demos that were staged across the country on Thursday.
By the time of publishing the story, police had not commented on the death of the 29-year-old.
Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome on Thursday evening released a statement warning Kenyans protesting against the Finance Bill against trying to occupy the parliament building.
IG Koome said the National Police Service (NPS) will not allow demonstrators to storm critical government infrastructure.
“With utmost respect to the provisions of Article 37 of the Constitution stipulating the right of citizens to assemble, demonstrate, and picket, the Service will neither condone nor approve efforts by demonstrators to either occupy critical government infrastructure including Parliament Buildings, or disrupt the ongoing Parliamentary proceedings,” he stated.
