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I almost died: Iyanii recalls terrifying moment after being shot by police
14th December, 2025 02:53 PM
Multitalented musician Ian Okwemba Oure, widely known as Iyanii, has opened up about a life-changing experience that nearly cost him his life, reminiscing about a terrifying day when he was shot by police while hanging out with friends in Nairobi CBD.
In a candid conversation with the Mic Cheque podcast, in an episode aired on Sunday, December 14, 2025, Iyanii recalled how, during his teenage days, he loved going to jam sessions and how he often found himself in trouble because of the company he kept.
“I got into so much trouble with my friends, mimi nilikuwa napenda kuenda jam session, so there was this time tulitoka home na friends zangu and went for the jam session in town,” Iyanii revealed.
While recalling the fateful day, Dongo Maber hitmaker, narrated how after leaving the club, things quickly took a tragic turn. Unknown to Iyanii, one of his friends snatched a woman’s handbag as they were walking.
The woman screamed, he and his other friends started running, and suddenly gunshots rang out. Police officers began chasing them towards downtown.
Iyanii says he heard the gunshots but assumed the police were firing in the air. He ran and boarded a Dandora-bound vehicle. It was only when a woman sitting next to him alerted him that he was bleeding that he realised he had been shot.
“After the jam session, tukitoka club, one of our friends, later got shot na akakufa, alienda na akasnatch bag ya dem fulani. Mimi sikuwa najua, tulikuwa hapo nyuma stories then huyo boy akaenda akasnatch bag na akaanza kuhepa, then the girl started shooting na kila mtu akaanza kukimbia,” he narrated.
“Polisi wakaanza kutukimbiza kuelekea downtown, mimi nilianza kusikia gun shots, but niliassume nikifikiria ni shots maybe wame fire juu, nikakimbia nikaingia kwa gari za Dandora and there was this lady sitted next to me akaniambia natoka damu nikajiangalia ndio nikajua nilikuwa shot.
The award-winning songwriter went on to say that before that lady alerted him, he never felt pain, adding that he almost lost his life for someone else’s mistake.
“Before that, I never felt pain. I almost died because of somebody else’s mistake,” he added.
Fortunately, Iyanii says the bullet did not enter his body fully, a fact that saved his life.
Keeping bad company
Speaking about his friends at the time, Iyanii admitted that he knew some of them were involved in crime. However, he struggled to walk away.
“I used to know, na huna kitu mbaya kama kujua friends wako ni mwizi na hautaki ku admit na pia kuwaacha, juu ukiwaacha utakuwa mtiaji. So I did not want to look like the bad guy, I had to hang out with them,” he explained.
Upbringing
In addition, Iyanii further disclosed that he grew up in Mathare Area 2, a place he describes as tough but full of lessons.
According to him, Mathare gives you two clear choices in life. You can decide to be a good person or choose the wrong path.
“I grew up in Mathare area 2, for me that was the most amazing place because inakupatia both options in life: you can either decide to be a good person or a bad person,” Iyanii explained.
“If you decide to be a good person, kuna a living example and pia if you decide to be a bad person, kuna the living and the dead person, so it is upon you to choose.”
