Take full responsibility for Boniface Kariuki’s death, Ndindi Nyoro tells State
By Wangari Njuguna, July 2, 2025Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has demanded that the government takes full responsibility for the death of hawker Boniface Mwangi Kariuki.
Kariuki died on Monday at Kenyatta National Hospital after being shot in the head by a police officer during the June 17, 2025, protest against the death of teacher cum-blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
Kariuki was shot at close range and was rushed to the hospital. He underwent two surgeries, and the family was clinging to the hope that he would pull through and get back to them before succumbing on Monday.
“It is very sad that the life of a young man, just doing his best to make ends meet, was terminated in the most barbaric and insensitive manner,” Nyoro, former chairman of the powerful parliamentary Budget Committee, said
The MP extended his condolences to the Mwangis’ entire family, as well as all other Kenyan families who are grieving in what he described as “unfortunate circumstances”.
“The government must take full responsibility for the heinous act that led to the demise of Boni,” he went on.
Mwangi died a day after his family said that medics had declared him brain dead.
His father, Jonah Kariuki, said they had gone to visit him, and after the visiting hours, they hung around waiting for the evening, but they got a call from the hospital and were required to go back.
“We were told the doctor wanted to talk to us, and that’s when he broke the news of his death,” said the father.
Kariuki is now demanding justice for his only son, whom he said was his hope to look after the family.
The father also said the family is now faced with a huge task of raising a hospital bill that has accumulated to millions of shillings, adding that they don’t have the capacity to raise the money.
“We are appealing to the well-wishers to help us raise the money to be able to secure the release of his body from the hospital,” he said.
Family spokesperson Emily Wanjira on Sunday said Kariuki was on a life support machine and the new development threw them in a dilemma of whether to switch off the machine or wait for nature to take its course.
“We have been told that he is brain dead, but here in the country, there is no provision in the law to have the machine switched off in such a condition,” said Wanjira.
She also said the family is hoping justice for their kin will prevail, as he was unfairly targeted by the police.
“All we want for Boniface is justice. Justice,” she added.
His mother, Susan Njeri, said Kariuki had gone to the streets to fend for his family before the tragic encounter.
Impeachment motion
Meanwhile, opposition leaders want the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to resign, claiming he is the hand behind the senseless killings and abduction of the young people in the country.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his DAP-K counterpart Eugene Wamalwa said Murkomen is not fit to handle the Interior docket, and he should go home.
Speaking when they visited the family of Boniface Kariuki in Githurai, Nairobi, the two said people are tired of the bloodshed in the country.
“The least you can do as the CS Interior is to resign and have someone who cares about the lives of our children take over,” said Kalonzo.
Referring to Murkomen’s remarks where he issued a ‘shoot to kill’ order on people storming police stations, Kalonzo said it was a very reckless statement that would only escalate cases of police brutality and extrajudicial killings in the country.
He also urged MPs to support the impeachment motion against the CS once it is tabled.
Kalonzo said the opposition will help the family to pursue justice for their son by providing legal aid and representing them in court.
“We have a legal team, which will help the family file a case in court and seek justice for their son who was killed by the police,” he remarked.
He also demanded that all people who have been arrested for taking part in the demonstrations should be released unconditionally, adding that they were out to fight for their constitutional right by demanding better leadership for the country.
Wamalwa said waiving the hospital bill for the victims is not enough; the government should also compensate them.
He said the shooting of Kariuki, who had gone to the streets to try to make some income by selling the masks, was very cruel.
He also questioned the context of the CS commending the police officers for doing a ‘good job’ during the demos, saying this was a mockery to the members of the public and the victims.
“Is the killing of our young people the good job you were talking about?” he posed.