NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 17 – A uniformed police officer captured on video assaulting and shooting an unarmed mask hawker along Nairobi’s Moi Avenue has been disarmed and arrested.
Police Spokesman Muchiri Nyagah confirmed that Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja ordered the immediate arrest and arraignment of the officer.
“Following this incident, the Inspector General of the National Police Service ordered the immediate arrest and arraignment of the officer involved. The said police officer has since been arrested,” Nyagah said in a statement to newsrooms.
Shocking footage recorded by protesters and widely shared on social media shows two armed officers confronting the man. One strikes him in the back with the butt of a rifle, while the second officer slaps him across the face before shooting him at close range. He collapses on the pavement as the officers walk away, prompting an outcry from horrified witnesses.
“Damn, he has shot him,” one protester is heard exclaiming in disbelief during the recording.
Another woman, visibly shaken, shouted moments later: “This man was just selling masks. He was shot at close range while standing there. This is so wrong!”
The incident sparked widespread outrage, with many Kenyans accusing the police of using excessive force on peaceful protesters.
In response to public concern over the weapon used, Nyagah clarified that the officer had fired an anti-riot shotgun. The clarification comes amid online speculation over whether the firearm was appropriate or legal for use during a demonstration.
The shooting of the man, which occurred during the #JusticeForOjwang protests, has intensified calls for police accountability and reform, with human rights groups demanding immediate prosecution of the officer involved.
