There was grief and anger as families streamed to the Nairobi Funeral Home (formerly City Mortuary) to identify bodies of victims killed in Wednesday’s protest that rocked the capital.
At least 15 people have been confirmed dead following the nationwide demonstrations.
At the mortuary, the pain of loss was palpable as relatives came face to face with the brutal reality of police shootings.
Four bodies had so far been identified.
Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid said the bodies were of David Mwangi, Fred Wanyonyi, 17-year-old Ian Opango and 23-year-old Kevin Njau.
The Star met with Ian Opango’s aunt, Fatuma Opango, who
had come from Rongai to identify the teenager’s body.
Ian, who lived opposite the Rongai police station, left home on Wednesday morning to join the protests but never returned.
“He left in the morning to join the rest in the demonstrations but never came back,” a tearful Fatuma told the Star.
Later that day, she saw a Facebook post about a young man shot dead, wearing a red T-shirt and jeans, clothes that matched what Ian had worn.
“When I looked at the photo, I said, this is my brother’s son,”
she said.
Fatuma called a neighbour, and together they went to the police station. There, officers told her to return the next day.
Her search began early Thursday at Kenyatta National Hospital and later to the Nairobi Funeral Home, where she found Ian’s body.
“He had a gunshot wound to his face that exited through the back
of his head,” she said. “All I want is justice for my nephew.”
Also at the funeral home was Kevin Njau’s wife Winfred Wangari, 22, is now left to care for their two daughters, one-aged two years and the other just two months old.
The older child suffers from cerebral palsy.
“I don’t know where to start or what to do. Kevin was our breadwinner. May justice prevail for my husband,” Wangari said.
Njau was allegedly shot between 6 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday while waiting for public transport at a bus stage.
“His hands still had fresh ink from work, showing he had just left his job. He was shot above the left eye clearly a shot intended to kill,” Khalid said.
The rights activist condemned the excessive force used by police during protests.
“This is the problem we are faced with, criminalising constitutional rights. Families are grieving, and we are saying enough is enough,” he said.
“Kevin’s life was taken by the same bullet meant to protect him, leaving behind a young widow and two children.”
Khalid said at least 15 bodies have been taken to various morgues across the country.
He described the situation as deeply disturbing. “We don’t understand why this has happened, especially after the police had located the protests. But we keep calling for justice and will not relent,” he said.
