NAIROBI, Kenya —In a rare and symbolic gesture, the Ministry of Health has waived all medical bills for victims injured during the June 17 and June 25 nationwide protests, following days of mounting public outrage and grief over the state’s handling of the unrest.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the decision in a statement issued Monday, stating that the directive covers all treatment costs incurred at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), including the now-settled bill of the late Boniface Kariuki — a protester whose death has become a lightning rod for calls demanding accountability.
“This includes the outstanding bill of the late Mr. Boniface Kariuki, which stood at Sh815,805 at the time of his passing,” the ministry’s statement read. “We offer our deepest condolences to families who have lost loved ones and extend our support to all those still recovering.”
According to the ministry, the expenses will be absorbed through KNH’s Disaster Emergency Fund — as pressure grows for the government to reckon with its heavy-handed response to the youth-led protests.
Boniface Kariuki, a 31-year-old vendor known for selling face masks in Nairobi’s CBD, became a national symbol of protester vulnerability after he was shot at close range during the June 17 demonstrations.
Caught on camera, the footage showed two police officers manhandling him before one fired a shot that struck his head — in broad daylight.
Kariuki was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital where he underwent emergency brain surgery. Despite two operations to remove bullet fragments from his skull, his condition worsened.
On Sunday, doctors declared him brain dead. He was officially pronounced dead at 3:15 p.m. Monday, according to family spokesperson Emily Wanjira.
His father, Jonah Kariuki, described the situation as both emotionally and financially devastating.
“We are not just grieving,” he told reporters last week. “We’re drowning.”
The Ministry’s decision to waive these costs comes amid a broader reckoning. Kenyans have taken to social media and the streets demanding justice not just for Kariuki, but for dozens of others injured or killed during the protests.
Rights groups have accused law enforcement of excessive force, unlawful shootings, and even abductions.
Now, the family wants more than waived bills. They want prosecution.
“We’re calling on the judiciary to act,” said Wanjira. “This was a senseless, criminal attack on a peaceful civilian. Someone must answer for it.”
Whether that accountability materializes in court remains to be seen. But for now, the Ministry’s move has offered some relief to families — even as it raises the question: why did it take death and public uproar for justice to even begin to show up?
