Ruto Donates Sh1 Million to Slain Hawker’s Family Amid Justice Demands
President William Ruto has donated Sh1 million to the family of Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, the hawker fatally shot by police during recent anti-government demonstrations in Nairobi.
The donation, delivered through Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina, is intended to support the family’s burial arrangements ahead of the funeral scheduled for July 11 in Githunguri village, Kangema.
During a somber prayer meeting held at the family’s home on Wednesday, relatives and local leaders renewed calls for justice. The family spokesperson, Abel Kinyanjui, demanded murder charges be brought against the two police officers allegedly responsible for Kariuki’s death.
“The government must ensure those behind Boniface’s killing are held accountable,” said Kinyanjui.
Kariuki was reportedly selling face masks in the Nairobi Central Business District when he was shot in the head during protests that turned violent.
Murang’a legislators including Peter Kihungi (Kangema), Mary Wamaua (Maragua), and Betty Maina (Murang’a) attended the gathering and pledged their support to the bereaved family.
“Murang’a MPs regret the incident and are working around the clock to ensure Mwangi gets justice,” said Maina while presenting the president’s donation.
She also called for police retraining to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Kihungi urged the government to help the family become financially stable, especially to support Kariuki’s three sisters whom he had been educating.
“We appreciate the waiver of the Sh800,000 hospital bill, and now our focus is on giving our brother a decent sendoff,” he added.
Community members, including Rev Mercy Wangu and Beatrice Wairimu, described Kariuki as a devoted provider with ambitions of building his parents a home.
“We must ensure such unnecessary deaths are never repeated,” Wangu said, calling on authorities to listen to the voices of the youth to avoid future unrest.
The family and clergy stressed the need for improved relations between police and the public, emphasizing dialogue, empathy, and justice.
In other news: Petition Filed to Declare CS Murkomen Unfit for Office Over ‘Shoot to Kill’ Remarks
Ruto Donates Sh1 Million to Slain Hawker’s Family Amid Justice Demands