Boniface Kariuki, a 27-year-old street vendor who was shot in the head at close range during Tuesday’s anti-police brutality protests in Nairobi, has been wheeled back into the operating theatre for a second, high-risk brain surgery at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Kariuki, who sells phone accessories on the bustling Kimathi Street, was critically injured after a plainclothes officer, now under internal review, shot him amid chaotic scenes captured in a viral video that has sparked nationwide outrage.
According to his family, Kariuki was taken into surgery at approximately 2:10 p.m. on Wednesday in an emergency attempt to reduce severe brain swelling.
“The bullet tore through the left side of his head and lodged dangerously close to his brain stem. Though the first surgery was successful in extracting the bullet, swelling has persisted,” said Dr. Mercy Wanjiru, a neurosurgeon at KNH familiar with the case.
The latest procedure, according to medical sources, involves a decompressive craniectomy, a delicate operation to relieve pressure on the brain by removing part of the skull.
“He is still unconscious and on a ventilator. The doctors told us the next 48 hours are critical,” said his elder brother, Evans Kariuki, who has been camped outside the hospital ward since Tuesday night.
“We are praying he makes it. He was only out there protesting for justice, and now he might never wake up.”
Kariuki was among hundreds of demonstrators who poured into the streets of Nairobi on Tuesday to protest the alleged extrajudicial killing of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’.
The demonstrations quickly escalated into violent confrontations with anti-riot police.
In a disturbing video clip filmed by a passerby and circulated widely online, two armed officers are seen confronting Kariuki near Kimathi Street.
After a brief scuffle, one officer is seen shoving him aside before drawing his weapon and shooting him in the head.
The officers then fled the scene, leaving the young hawker sprawled in a pool of blood.
Passersby and fellow vendors rushed to his aid, carrying him to Bliss Medical Centre for initial stabilization before he was transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital in critical condition.
“It was like a war zone,” said Monica Njeri, a fellow hawker and close friend of Kariuki’s.
“We watched our brother get shot for nothing, for simply standing his ground. This cannot go unanswered.”
The shooting has reignited public anger over what many see as growing impunity among law enforcement.
Activists have demanded the immediate suspension and prosecution of the officer involved, whose identity has not yet been disclosed.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, whose resignation protestors were demanding on Tuesday, has yet to make a public statement about the incident.
Meanwhile, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has confirmed that it has opened an investigation into the shooting.
“We have summoned witnesses and obtained the footage in question. The officer seen discharging his firearm has been identified and a file is being prepared for possible charges,” IPOA spokesperson Judith Mwende said during a press briefing.
Back at the hospital, Kariuki’s loved ones wait anxiously for news.
“He’s a hard worker. He’s never been involved in anything criminal,” said his mother, Jane Wambui, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“All he ever wanted was to earn an honest living. Now he’s lying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life. Why? Because he dared to speak out?”
As the nation watches and waits, Kariuki’s condition remains critical.
Kenyans have taken to social media under the hashtag #JusticeForBoniface to call for accountability and donate funds for his medical care.
