NAIROBI, Kenya — The family of youth mobiliser Cecil Otieno Ouma has called for justice following his fatal shooting in Nairobi, as police intensify investigations into an incident involving a vehicle linked to Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs.
Ouma, 28, a Civil Engineering student at the Technical University of Kenya, was shot on Tuesday, June 30, along Park Road shortly after attending a government youth empowerment forum organised under the State Department for Youth Affairs’ KIKAO programme in Kariokor.
He was rushed to Park Road Nursing Home, where he was pronounced dead.
The shooting has attracted national attention, with investigators examining witness accounts, forensic evidence and ballistic reports to establish what transpired before the fatal gunshot.
Family Questions Circumstances of Shooting
According to Ouma’s family, he had been contracted to mobilise youths to attend the government event.
His brother, Jeff Otieno, said Ouma had been given Sh10,000 by the Principal Secretary to facilitate transport for the youths he had mobilised. However, those present reportedly rejected the amount, saying it was insufficient.
“He was given Sh10,000 by the PS. He told the guys who were waiting for the money that he only had Sh10,000 and did not know how it would be shared. The guys said it was too little and asked him to return the money,” Otieno said.
The family says Ouma returned to the Principal Secretary’s vehicle to seek clarification over the money, after which a confrontation allegedly ensued.
Witnesses quoted by the family and other reports say some youths moved closer to the vehicle after sensing an altercation before gunshots were heard.
Ouma was later found with gunshot wounds and rushed to hospital.
The family has called for a transparent investigation, insisting that those responsible should be held accountable.
Police Investigating Conflicting Accounts
Detectives are investigating differing versions of events surrounding the shooting.
According to preliminary accounts cited by investigators, security officers attached to the Principal Secretary alleged that Ouma became disruptive inside the vehicle, attempted to grab the steering wheel and later tried to seize a firearm from one of the officers.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed those claims, and investigators say they are working to establish the facts through witness testimony, forensic evidence and ballistic analysis.
Police have urged the public to allow investigations to proceed before drawing conclusions.
Seven Record Statements
The investigation gathered pace on Wednesday after police recorded statements from seven people connected to the incident.
Those questioned include two bodyguards attached to PS Fikirini Jacobs, a director in the State Department for Youth Affairs who was reportedly inside the vehicle during the incident, and several eyewitnesses.
The officers have since been disarmed to facilitate ballistic examinations aimed at determining whether either of their firearms discharged the fatal shot.
Investigators are also examining the officers’ initial account that they fired warning shots into the air after a group of youths allegedly surrounded the vehicle.
Police have not disclosed who fired the bullet that killed Ouma, and no arrests have been announced.
Post-mortem Expected
Ouma’s body has been transferred to Chiromo Mortuary, where a post-mortem examination is expected to establish the cause of death and provide additional forensic evidence for investigators.
The findings are expected to complement ballistic examinations and witness statements as detectives reconstruct the events leading to the shooting.
Calls for Accountability
The incident has sparked widespread public concern, with leaders, youth groups and human rights advocates calling for an independent and impartial investigation.
Under Article 26 of the Constitution of Kenya, every person has the right to life. The National Police Service Act further requires law enforcement officers to use force and firearms only where it is strictly necessary and proportionate.