A somber mood enveloped Kangema, Murang’a County on Friday, July 11, as Boniface Kariuki, the hawker who was fatally shot by a police officer during the June 17 protests in Nairobi, was laid to rest at his parents' home.
As the funeral convoy made its way from Nairobi to Murang’a, a heavy police presence was visible throughout the area.
According to images seen by Nairobileo.co.ke, the officers were deployed and stationed at strategic points across Kangema.
Some patrolled the roads and surrounding neighborhoods, while others remained inside police trucks, appearing ready to act in the event of any unrest.
Despite the heightened security and watchful eyes of law enforcement, the arrival of Kariuki’s body and the funeral service itself remained largely peaceful.
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Kariuki was shot in the head at point‑blank range by a police officer during protests in Nairobi CBD following the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody.
Following the shooting, witnesses rushed him to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for emergency treatment.
Upon arrival at KNH, he was operated on urgently; surgical teams removed bullet fragments lodged in his skull.
Doctors placed him in the intensive care unit as his condition rapidly deteriorated.
By June 29, medical personnel officially declared him brain‑dead, leaving no hope for recovery.
Tragically, on the afternoon of June 30, a day after being declared brain‑dead, Kariuki passed away at KNH.
His family publicly confirmed his death, marking the end of his last battle against injuries sustained in the shooting .
A requiem mass for Kariuki was held on July 10 at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, attended by family, friends, and members of the public.
Later that evening, a candlelight vigil was organized near Imenti House, close to the scene of the shooting.
In the aftermath, two police officers were arrested in connection with the shooting; one of them, Constable Klinzy Barasa, has since been formally charged with murder.