Winston Mkunda: Gen Z protestor missing as family seeks justice
By Emmanuel Rono, July 10, 2026A family in Kabete, Kiambu County, is appealing for public assistance in locating their 39-year-old relative who disappeared under unclear circumstances a day after participating in the June 25 Gen-Z anniversary protests.
According to the family, Winston Mkunda was last seen on June 27, 2026, in the Kangemi area of Nairobi and has not been heard from since.
The family says Mkunda vanished without a trace, prompting them to report the matter at both Kangemi and Kabete police stations.
Despite police investigations, his whereabouts remain unknown.
Mkunda is a native of Kaimosi in Hamisi Constituency, Vihiga County, but had been living in Nairobi before his disappearance.
His relatives have now appealed to the National Police Service and members of the public to assist in tracing him, saying they are increasingly concerned for his safety.
IPOA launching investigations
This comes days after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) launched investigations into reports of abductions, physical assaults, and excessive use of force by police during the second anniversary commemorations of the Gen-Z protests on June 25, 2026.
This development follows a nationwide monitoring exercise by IPOA, which has revealed a mix of de-escalation tactics and concerning operational breaches by the National Police Service (NPS) in quelling the demos, which led to the arrests of 355 people countrywide, with Nairobi leading with 161 arrests, and at least seven people were forcibly disappeared.
In a press statement released on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, IPOA detailed its preliminary findings, confirming that police deployed public order management measures across major cities. However, the authority expressed significant concern regarding the conduct of some officers during the protests.
“Preliminary findings indicate that police deployed public order management measures, including the erection of barricades along some major routes in parts of Nairobi and Mombasa, where minimal protests were recorded. The Authority noted that the police used tear gas in some instances and acoustic devices to disperse crowds in some parts of Nairobi Central Business District (CBD),” the statement read in part.