NAIROBI, Kenya – The Nairobi City Mortuary was steeped in grief on Tuesday as families gathered to identify the bodies of loved ones killed during the deadly Saba Saba Day protests.
Among them was Faith Indeche, a devastated mother from Kangemi, who came to claim the body of her 25-year-old son, Elvis Musavi.
Elvis, a young father and the family’s breadwinner, was fatally shot on Monday during the violent protests in Kangemi.
His body bore multiple bullet wounds, including one that pierced his back and exited through his hand.
“He was my eldest son. I have no one else to take care of me,” said Faith, fighting through tears. “He had just come home from work. He wasn’t protesting. I am shocked that he was shot by police officers.”
Elvis’s death has left his young wife and six-month-old baby without support, while his mother—who survives on menial jobs in the informal settlement—struggles to come to terms with her loss.
The family is now appealing for help to conduct an independent post-mortem and to transport the body to their rural home in Kakamega County for burial.
“We don’t even know how we’ll take the body home. We are calling for help from anyone who can assist,” said Faith.
The family’s tragedy is one of many that have unfolded in the wake of Monday’s protests, which erupted across the country as part of the Gen Z-led Saba Saba demonstrations.
What began as peaceful rallies calling for government accountability quickly turned deadly, with police using live ammunition, tear gas, and batons to disperse crowds.
By Tuesday evening, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) had confirmed at least 10 deaths, 29 injuries, two abductions, and 37 arrests across 17 counties.
KNCHR condemned the excessive force used by security agencies, calling the violence a serious violation of human rights.
Originally meant to commemorate Kenya’s 1990 pro-democracy movement, this year’s Saba Saba protests have brought the nation face to face with renewed questions about police accountability, youth disenfranchisement, and the cost of civic resistance.
