12-year-old boy shot dead in Rongai protests was a gifted artist, set to fly to the United States-family

Speaking to the media  on Monday, the grief-struck mum said her son neither a criminal nor part of the protesters. 

"Mtoto wangu hakuwa na hatia, mtoto wangu hakuwa kwa maandamano , mtoto wangu hajaiba, risasi ni ya kuua mwizi, si mtoto wa 12 years," Kennedy's mum said. 

According to his mother, Kennedy, 12, was one of the top three students at his school to be shortlisted in a painting competition. 

"Mtoto wangu alikuwa anachora, alikuwa anataka kuenda America, hakuwa anataka kuwa kuwa kwa serikali, ndoto yake ilikuwa kuchora," Kennedy's mum added. 

"Sina ombi lingine, nataka tu hak kwa mtoto wangu itendeke,"

The winners, she explained, would travel to the United States for a similar competition. 

 "Mtoto wangu ndoto yake alikuwa ananiambia hii kuchora kwangu itanipeleka America, alikuwa anataka achore hadi achukuliwe already walimu wako na hiyo detail yake vitu zake zilipelekwa mahali sijui ni wapi" she told the media. 

She said her son had spent 3 days working on the piece he submitted. 

He was thrilled to see his American dream come true. 

According to his family, Kennedy left the house that fateful day to pick up a book he was sharing with a neighbouring classmate. 

“Alitoka shule lakini alikuwa na homework, akatoka kuendea kitabu kwa rafiki yake lakini hakurudi,” His mum said. 

He would reportedly be shot eight times as the protests took an ugly turn, in a night riddled with violence, gunfire and looting. 

"Mama ya huyo kijana alisema kijana wake alingoja ken kama walivyo kubaliana lakini Ken hakufika," Jocinter Anyango said. 

"Alikuja kuskia Kennedy ameuawa."

His classmate would wait for hours to hand over the book, only to learn later that he had been shot and killed. 

Kennedy's family was also outraged by President Ruto's comments in a Sunday interview, in which he was asked to send a message to the mother of a 12-year-old boy who was shot eight times. 

His mother said she watched President Ruto in dismay as he appeared unsure of the 12-year-old's fate after being shot eight times. 

He is still alive right?" posed Ruto. 

He was then fact-checked by the panelists who revealed that the boy had actually died. 

"On the 12-year-old shot with eight bullets, I am telling the mother of this young person that as president, I will make sure that I give her an explanation of what really happened." President Ruto said. 

" I will make sure that we bring this to a situation where, like myself who has children, her child can be accounted for. "

President Ruto said the Rongai protests were infiltrated by goons who even took a gun from a police officer and shot into crowds. 

He said investigations into the  incident will reveal whether the 12-year-old boy was shot by police or by the goons. 

The late 12-year-old Kennedy Onyango Ouma, who tragically lost his life in Rongai last Thursday during protests, succumbed to a fatal bullet wound. Dr. Peter Ndegwa, the government pathologist who conducted the postmortem at Ongata Rongai Sub-County Hospital Funeral Home, confirmed that the bullet had shattered his arteries and punctured his lungs.