The funeral of Boniface Kariuki

Boniface Kariuki, a Nairobi-based face mask vendor, was shot in the head by a police officer during protests in Nairobi on June 17, 2025. The protests were part of a broader movement demanding justice for Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger who was killed in police custody. Kariuki was shot at point-blank range with a 12-gauge shotgun, resulting in severe brain injury. He underwent two surgeries at Kenyatta National Hospital, but his family declared him brain dead on June 29, 2025. His family asked the government for assistance with his hospital bills and demanded justice for the shooting. Following the incident, the police officer involved, Klinzy Baraza, was charged with murder. The Attorney General upheld the murder charge against him, signaling official legal action in the case. Boniface Kariuki's death sparked public outrage and memorial services, highlighting concerns about police brutality in Kenya. Today, June 17, 2025, Boniface Kariuki was laid to rest at his rural home in Kangema, Murang'a County. His funeral included a Requiem Mass at the Basilica of the Holy Family and a memorial service at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, where mourners and leaders demanded justice and condemned police brutality and extrajudicial killings. Family members and community leaders described him as a law-abiding and hardworking young man, and there were emotional pleas for accountability and an end to police violence. @Boniface Kariuki: Kenyan vendor shot by police during protests dies , BBC @https://nation.africa/kenya/news/boniface-kariuki-hawker-shot-in-the-head-police-is-brain-dead--5099644