Survivors speak: Nakuru protest shooting victims share harrowing ordeals

Protestors who survived shooting by the police on Tuesday last week have narrated their ordeals to Citizen TV.

In Nakuru, 25-year-old Ricky Munjaru is among 22 protesters who were shot and injured by police. His life has taken a drastic turn living him with permanent scars.

Munjaru is lucky to be alive after being discharged from the Nakuru referral hospital where he was receiving treatment for gunshot wounds he sustained during the anti-finance bill demonstrations on June 25, 2024.

Speaking to Citizen TV, Munjaru narrated how the peaceful demos turned chaotic and the near death experience that followed.

"I was shot on my back and left leg; the police were shooting indiscriminately," he said.

Munjaru participated in the anti-finance bill demonstrations with the intention of urging the government to reduce over-taxation. The experience has however permanently transformed his life.

 Ricky, who was shot twice, will now rely on crutches until he fully recovers and can return to his job repairing phones. He believes the scars he carries were incurred for a noble cause.

"I think our President is still not listening to us. He is still making empty promises. Many people have died and have been injured because of the protests. We are not just protesting because we can; we want our country to be perfect," said Munjaru.

"We fully support our kids who have taken to the streets. They are fighting for everyone, even the police officers shooting indiscriminately in the streets," Julia Busieka, Munjaru's mother, added.

For the families that lost their loved ones in the Anti Finance bill demos in Nakuru, the permanent scars left after their loved ones' passing are painful to bear.

An autopsy conducted on the bodies of 17 year old Austin Onyisa, 24 year old Kevin Madanga and 28 year old Michael Kihuga, three victims who were killed in Nakuru last week has revealed the cause of their deaths as excessive bleeding.

"The cause of death is due to the bullet, what caused excessive bleeding and shock," said Dr. Magare Gikenyi, a surgeon in Nakuru.

All eyes are on the government to see whether it will take action on police officers who use excessive force on demonstrators.