NAIROBI, Kenya – Boniface Kariuki, the 22-year-old street vendor who was shot at close range during a protest in Nairobi, remains in a critical condition more than two weeks after the incident, with fragments of the bullet still lodged deep in his brain.
Doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) have performed three high-risk procedures in a bid to stabilize Kariuki, but say that attempting to remove the remaining fragments could fatally damage his already fragile brain.
Kariuki was shot in the head on June 17 along Moi Avenue during a protest against Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
Boniface Kariuki was shot at point blank range by a Kenyan police officer during protests in the capital Nairobi.Kariuki was reportedly selling masks. He is now in intensive care.Boniface’s father has spoken to BBC Africa about the family’s ordeal ⤵️
He had joined hundreds of Gen Z demonstrators demanding police accountability when an officer allegedly fired at him at point-blank range.
Rushed to KNH in a coma, surgeons managed to extract the main bullet during an emergency operation.
However, multiple smaller metal fragments remain embedded in critical areas of his brain.
“They said it will only be removed once it forms pus. They are worried that if it is touched as it is, it might endanger his life,” said family spokesperson Emily Wanjiru.
Kariuki’s condition remains dire. According to Wanjiru, he no longer recognizes family members and has shown only brief moments of response to pain before slipping back into an unresponsive state.
“He does not recognise anyone,” Wanjiru said. “On Monday, he reacted to pain, but then went back into the same unconscious state.”
No Protests or Shooting of Boniface Kariuki Would Have Happened if Eliud Lagat Was Arrested
In his latest operation on Friday, doctors relocated Kariuki’s breathing tubes from his nose to his throat to allow for better oxygen flow.
He also underwent a procedure known as “pegging” — the insertion of feeding tubes directly into the intestines to provide nutrition for patients unable to swallow.
“This approach avoids opening up the abdomen and is less invasive,” said Wanjiru. “But it’s only a temporary measure — the long-term outlook remains uncertain.”
Mounting Medical Costs
As Kariuki continues to fight for his life, his family is buckling under the weight of a soaring medical bill, which now exceeds Sh2.7 million.
The daily cost of intensive care, including surgeries and monitoring, is estimated at Sh180,000.
“His parents can’t afford this, and we’ve had to launch a pay bill to try and raise funds,” Wanjiru said.
Kariuki’s case has ignited outrage across the country and online, where he is remembered not just as a victim, but as a hardworking young man trying to earn a living by selling face masks on the streets of Nairobi.
Rights groups have condemned the shooting as another example of excessive force by police during protests.
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ-Kenya) and Amnesty International have both demanded an independent investigation and accountability for what they call a “brutal and unlawful shooting.”
Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono, the two officers filmed assaulting and shooting hawker Boniface Kariuki in Nairobi, are expected to be arraigned in court today over the incident.#endpolicebrutalityke
‘Justice for Boniface’
Kariuki’s story has become a rallying cry among Kenya’s Gen Z protest movement, with the hashtag #JusticeForBoniface trending on social media and comedian Eric Omondi calling for mass action in solidarity.
“Boniface is not just a victim of police brutality,” Omondi said during a recent rally. “He represents all our young people who are silenced when they raise their voices.”
Meanwhile, Kariuki remains on life support in the KNH intensive care unit, his fate uncertain, and his family left to navigate the dual trauma of emotional grief and financial desperation.
