Moments later, the same officer and his colleague zero in on a lone vendor selling face masks. What follows has shocked the nation.
“The officer slapped the man, his colleague hit him with a gun, then came the fatal shot,” an eyewitness recalled, trembling.
A Slap, a Blow, and a Bullet
Instead of walking past, the officers paused in front of the vendor. One slapped him hard. The other hit him with the butt of his gun. Seconds later, the first officer raised his weapon and fired at close range. The vendor dropped instantly, blood soaking through his clothes, his hand still gripping a pack of masks.
Blood on the Pavement: Police Shoot Mask Vendor Dead in Nairobi CBD
A Dying Man, A Furious Nation
Bystanders screamed. Protesters, risking their own lives, rushed to help. They scooped the bleeding vendor and raced to Bliss Medical Centre. But for many, the damage was done—not just to a man, but to a country’s conscience.
“We watched a man executed for selling masks. What justice is this?” one user posted.
“He Just Shot Him!”: Horror as Vendor Killed in Cold Blood by Police
From Protest to Bloodbath
Ironically, the protests that ended in blood had been organized to demand accountability for another alleged police killing—that of blogger Albert Ojwang in custody.
But before protesters could gather, suspected goons on motorbikes swarmed the streets. They shouted, “No protests today!” Armed with knives and clubs, they attacked civilians, snatching phones, handbags, and dignity.
“They moved freely with police around. Some officers even waved them through,” another protester alleged.
