Boniface Kariuki, a 22-year-old mask vendor shot during anti-government protests on June 17, 2025, has been declared brain dead, his family confirmed today. The devastating news, delivered by doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), marks a tragic turn in a case that has sparked national outrage over police brutality in Kenya.
Kariuki was shot at point-blank range in the head while hawking masks along Tom Mboya Street during demonstrations calling for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat and justice for Albert Ojwang, a blogger who died in police custody.
His father, Jonah Kariuki, revealed that while his son’s heart continues to beat, his brainstem is no longer functioning, making the damage irreversible. Medically, brain death signifies the complete and irreversible cessation of all brain function, including the brainstem, rendering an individual legally dead even if mechanical support maintains other bodily functions.
Family spokesperson Emily Wanjiru shared the heartbreaking update, stating, “Boniface Mwangi Kariuki is declared brain-dead. The hospital bill is now higher than Ksh3 million”.
She added that doctors informed them of Kariuki’s condition during a midnight briefing on Saturday. Despite multiple surgeries, including a third procedure on Friday to relocate breathing tubes and create a feeding pathway, bullet fragments remain lodged in Kariuki’s brain, posing a significant challenge for the medical team. Doctors have indicated that removing these fragments could endanger his life further.
Kariuki’s case has become a saddening symbol of the ongoing struggle against police excesses in Kenya, drawing condemnation from human rights groups and calls for urgent police reforms.
The family is now appealing to Kenyans for financial assistance to cover the escalating medical bills, which have surpassed Ksh3 million. They also demand justice and accountability for the shooting, urging the judiciary to convict the officer responsible.
Two police officers, Police Constable Klinzy Barasa Masinde and Police Constable Duncan Kiprono, have been arrested and interdicted in connection with the shooting and were arraigned in court, where they were detained for 15 days pending further investigation.
