Gathoni wa Muchomba recounts the killing in parliament during #OccupyParliament protest

As peaceful and unarmed protestors stormed the Kenyan parliament building to protest the 2024 Finance Bill, shocked Members of Parliament quickly sought safety in secure locations.

Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wa Muchomba witnessed what has been termed an extra-judicial killing outside the parliament building. As the day wore on, she and a few Kenya Kwanza members who voted NO, along with some Azimo members of Parliament, walked out of parliament singing.

"In the process of walking, shooting ensued. We could hear machine guns. We walked towards the gate of parliament but were forced back to the veranda. From there, I could see men in golden hoods; we couldn't tell if they were police. They knelt down and started shooting at the parliament grills and towards the Senate," she recalled the chilling events that led to the loss of young unarmed Gen Zs.

What remained was an immeasurable loss that continues to reverberate today. According to the lawmaker, the protestors would retrieve the bodies of those hit by bullets and retreat while others charged forward, despite the MPs' unsuccessful attempts to dissuade the armed police.

She and other lawmakers watched everything unfold with a devastating realization that promising and brave young people had been viciously murdered.

"These young people were so brave. Despite the vicious attack, they collected the bodies of those hit by bullets and placed them right in front of the parliament gate," she told Citizen Digital.

As many Kenyans continue to struggle to come to terms with the harrowing events of the past three weeks, Wamuchomba remains disturbed, noting it is one of the worst tragedies in Kenyan history, yet it could have been avoided.

"I saw those children lifting their hands, screaming 'we are peaceful!' They shouted 'we are many!' and the machine guns would roar. They would fall down and stand up again while shouting 'we are peaceful.' Some were shot while kneeling. It was a painful image to watch; I could not sleep for two days," she said.

The outspoken parliamentarian, described as a thorn in the flesh of Kenya Kwanza for her opposition to the president's views, was vindicated when the president conceded and withdrew the bill after immense pressure from Kenyans.

She added that the country cannot heal and move forward if its leaders do not empathize with what Kenyans are going through. She described those who lost their lives during the peaceful demonstration as heroes of economic freedom, not criminals as portrayed.

"Those who lost their lives should be given a state funeral. The government of Kenya should cover the hospital bills and provide compensation to the families. What is more important: the finance bill or the lives of Kenyans?" she said.

She notes that for the nation to move forward, the political class, including the president, must apologize to Kenyans.

"I apologize on behalf of the political class in Kenya for not listening to the opinions of young people and for pushing them to the extent where they had to lose their lives for the bill to be withdrawn. It is very unfortunate that the president had to wait until it became what it is for him to withdraw the bill," she added.

She advises her counterparts to remember that they are not the bosses of their voters but their representatives.

"Many parliamentarians are not visiting their villages because they cannot face them. They sent us to represent them; Kenyans did not send us to parliament to kill or oppress them. They did not send us to parliament to fund our opulent lifestyles. They sent us to parliament to represent their opinions, their needs, and their livelihoods, and we have immensely failed them," she said.

According to her, parliament has been hijacked by parliamentarians who act like the executive and are willing to defend oppressive bills.

"It is time to reclaim parliament from those who think they are the executive and stand up to defend bills from the executive, forgetting their role as parliamentarians. It pains me to see bills that are oppressive and suppressive being championed," she said.

She suggests a holistic restructuring rather than a mere reshuffle to solve the ongoing crisis in the country, describing the current state as a torn hem on a garment.

"We need to revisit every government agency, including parliament. The mess that killed our children started in parliament. Reshuffling the cabinet will not solve the main issue," she said.