Emotional send off for Kirinyaga youth shot during Saba Saba demos

Senator Kamau Murango addresses mourners during the burial of Peter Macharia in Kagumo, Kirinyaga /ALICE WAITHERA

Anger and emotions ran high as residents of Kirinyaga county turned out in droves for the send-off of 21-year-old Peter Macharia, who was shot dead during the Saba Saba protests this month.

 Mourners are demanding answers for Macharia’s death, who was allegedly shot while picking tea near his family’s home in Njogu-ini village in Kagumo on July 7.

The family was forced to reschedule his burial last week after a postmortem scheduled at Kerugoya County Referral Hospital on Wednesday was postponed.

Peninah Wanjiru, a resident, expressed bitterness at the death of the youth, saying his future was nipped in the bud.

“We are very bitter that young people continue to die needlessly. Macharia was working. He was being a productive member of the society and was still killed,” she said.

Macharia’s burial was attended by hundreds of youths carrying the Kenyan flag and who also draped his coffin in a flag.

They sang the national anthem and chanted other songs, expressing their anger and condemning his murder.

Leaders led by Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango called on the government to reign in on police officers found culpable of shooting youths during protests.

Murango said the county lost four youths, most of whom did not participate in the protests and who were at the height of their productivity.

Last week, two other youths, James Muriithi and Edwin Murimi, were laid to rest after suffering gunshot wounds during the protests.

“Today we’re burying Macharia, tomorrow we will bury Jackline Wawira, 20, who was shot while watching the protests in a balcony in Githurai,” he said.

But Murango appealed to Gen Zs to ensure they register as voters in large numbers to ensure they make the changes they desire in the next elections.

“Voting is the only way you can exercise your power to pick the leaders you want,” the senator told the residents.

The leaders hit back at President William Ruto for what they termed as shifting the blame of the chaos experienced during protests to parents.

The President, during a church service at Africa Inland Church last Sunday, told parents to stop abdicating their parental responsibilities to other institutions such as the church and the state, saying it’s their responsibility to nurture and mentor their children.

But Baragwi MCA David Mathenge said some of the killed youth were not participating in any chaos when they lost their lives and wondered why police officers still shot at them.

“You tell us that we have abdicated our parental duties but things worsened when your Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen gave the shoot-to-kill order,” he said.

“You then came out and gave the shoot-on-the-legs order. If we shoot all our youths on the legs, who will vote for you in 2027?” he asked.

His Kerugoya counterpart Eric Muchina insisted that parents have not failed in their responsibilities, asking the President to instead rein in his errant juniors that he said are fanning the chaos.

Muchina also took issue with the charges preferred against youths arrested after the protests saying they will make it impossible for them to contribute to the growth of the economy.

“We need to stop branding our youths as terrorists when they’re just trying to mould their lives,” he added, highlighting the need for the government to find amicable means of resolving the challenges faced by the youths.

Mutira MCA Kinyua Wangui said those involved in Macharia’s shooting should be held accountable, saying the families affected by the murders need justice.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Macharia was allegedly shot while picking tea near his family’s home in Njogu-ini village in Kagumo with mourners demanding answers on his death. The family was forced to reschedule his burial last week after a postmortem scheduled at Kerugoya County Referral Hospital on Wednesday was postponed. Leaders led by Senator Kamau Murango called on the government to rein in police officers found culpable of shooting youths during protests.