NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 20 – Kenyan youth wore face masks Friday in a symbolic act of protest against police brutality, following the point-blank shooting of a mask vendor by an anti-riot police officer.
Popular comedian Eric Omondi, a prominent voice in recent protests, said the gesture is a sign of solidarity with Boniface Kariuki, who is recovering at Kenyatta National Hospital after undergoing surgery on Tuesday night.
“Today marks #MaskFriday in Kenya—wearing a mask is our collective plea: silence is not an option. We stand in solidarity with Boniface Kariuki and all victims of police brutality,” Omondi stated.
Boniface was among civilians caught in a police crackdown during the #JusticeForAlbertOjwang protest, which demanded accountability over the death of teacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang in police custody.
While initial reports suggested Boniface had succumbed to his injuries, his father has since confirmed that he is alive, though in critical condition.
The shooting has fuelled public outrage, with many condemning what they see as rising impunity by law enforcement in handling peaceful demonstrators and unarmed citizens.
On Tuesday evening, the National Police Service confirmed that the officer seen in a widely circulated video shooting Boniface along Nairobi’s Moi Avenue had been disarmed and arrested.
Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyagah said the 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.
Disturbing video footage shows two armed officers confronting the vendor—one striking him in the back with a rifle butt, the other slapping him across the face before shooting him at close range.
The man collapses onto the pavement as the officers walk away, sparking shock and fury across the country.
