Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, the street vendor who was shot during the June 17 protests, has passed away marking a somber close to a life that hung in the balance for nearly two weeks.
Kariuki died on Monday, June 30, at 3:15 p.m. while still in the Intensive Care Unit at Kenyatta National Hospital. Just a day earlier, his family had confirmed he had been declared brain dead shortly after midnight a heartbreaking diagnosis that meant his brainstem had ceased all function.
Even with the grim prognosis, Kariuki remained on life support, as Kenyan law does not permit withdrawal of care until clinical death defined by the stopping of the heart occurs naturally.
“It was only a matter of time after he was declared brain dead,” a family spokesperson said, speaking on behalf of loved ones who had kept vigil through the long and painful days.
The news of his passing is a stark reminder of the human cost behind the protests that swept across the country. Kariuki, like many others, was caught in the chaos while simply going about his day trying to earn a living when he was shot.
His death now becomes a powerful symbol in the ongoing national conversation about police conduct, protest rights, and the urgent need for accountability.
As the country comes to terms with the loss, tributes have begun pouring in online remembering Kariuki not just as a protest victim, but as a hardworking Kenyan whose life ended far too soon.
