Heavy police presence as slain mask vendor Boniface Kariuki set to be buried
By William Muthama, July 11, 2025A heavy police presence was witnessed in Kangema Constituency, Murang’a County, as the body of Boniface Kariuki was transported from Kenyatta University Funeral Home to his family home in Karirau Village for burial on Friday, July 11,2025.
Outside the Kariuki home in Karirau, a blue Mariamu police truck idled on the roadside, flanked by several armed officers standing guard.
The security presence which looks like part of a broader precautionary move by authorities, coming just a week after the chaotic funeral of teacher Albert Ojwang in Homa Bay County, where demonstrators set Mawego Police Station ablaze a day before burial proceedings began.
Officials in Murang’a are keen to avoid similar scenes, with activists and youth leaders expected to attend Kariuki’s burial in large numbers.
Earlier, the family of the 22-year-old who was shot by police while hawking masks during a protest in Nairobi gathered at the Kenyatta University Funeral Home to pay their final respects. The mood was sombre as mourners queued quietly to view his body.
Kariuki’s mother broke down in grief and had to be assisted by medics. Others stood outside the viewing room in silence, too overwhelmed to enter.
A few mourners waved small Kenyan flags, symbolising protest and unity. Around the white coffin, low hymns were sung as the reality of the loss sank in.
“He was not just selling masks, he was surviving like all of us,” said one mourner.
As the hearse departed, police officers formed a perimeter around the area to monitor the procession. Tensions remained high, though no incidents had been reported by mid-morning.
Boniface Kariuki will be laid to rest later today at his family’s homestead in Karirau Village. His burial adds to a growing list of victims from recent protests, with calls for justice continuing to rise among Kenya’s youth and civil society groups.