Migori: Tears Flow Freely As 4 Kenyans Under 30 Years Killed In Protests Are Buried

• Four casualties of police brutality during maandamano in Migori county were aged below 30 years
• One of the casualties had scored a B plus in his KCSE and was set to join university to study Information Communication Technology
• A mother of one of the victims was found grasping her deceased son's KCSE certificate saying she was a widow and he was her only source of provision

Migori families whose sons died in incidents of police brutality in the recent antigovernment protests are yet to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones even as they laid them to rest.

Police brutality victims in Migori

A mix of raw emotions, tears and lamentations remained dense in the air a day after the families laid their loved ones to rest.

According to Amnesty International, at least 30 Kenyans had been killed by police officers since the protests spearheaded by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Party leader Raila Odinga began in March 2023.

TUKO.co.ke established that four Kenyan youths, all aged below 30 years succumbed to bullet wounds during the protests in Migori county.

During a visit to the families in Nyikendo village, Suna East, TUKO.co.ke met with the family of the late Reagan Otieno, 21, who had just been laid to rest.

Migori police brutality victims laid to rest

His mother Caroline Otieno had only been left with memories of her beloved son who she had hoped would turn around the family’s fortunes.

"My son did not deserve such contact from police officers. He had scored a B plus in his KCSE and was set to study an ICT course. He was my only hope and he was so happy and anticipating to transition to college,” she recounted.

A bullet came in the way of Reagan attaining his dream of joining university and hopefully elevating his humble family’s status thereafter but now he is six feet under.

Another casualty was Stephen Okinyi, 19, from Suna West who was still a Form Three student when he died by a bullet from the gun of police officers.

According to his family, Okinyi was studying at Rabuor Kogello Secondary School and was at home because he had been sent to collect money to clear fees arrears.

Okinyi’s mother Leonidah Oluoch said that her son had briefly left home and was, out of curiosity, watching the confrontation and running battles between police officers and protesters.

Under 30 Kenyan police brutality victims

"I knew he would be back in a few minutes as he had left saying he wanted to see what was happening outside. 20 minutes later I get a report that he had been shot and I was heartbroken when he later succumbed,” Oluoch narrated.

She said that her son was hit by a bullet on the thigh, had lost a lot of blood and was short of breath when she first saw him.

In Nyamware village, a tragedy befell the family of the late Ben Ouma, 19, who was shot when he was on his way back home from Oruba area where he worked in a construction site.

His mother Rachael Akeyo Ouma, who is also a widow, was overwhelmed with grief when TUKO.co.ke visited her.

She was seated outside her house with a KCSE results slip of her son as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

Azimio la Umoja leaders decry police brutality

“My son only went to fend for me since I am a widow but ended up losing his life. I am left with no one to take care of me,” she said amidst sobs.

Area leaders including Governor Ochillo Ayacko and Suna West MP Peter Masara accused the police of using excess force in neutralising protests and live bullets to eliminate Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights.

"Why must police be killing innocent people who were out to express their displeasure in the high cost of living? The police shootings were the illegal bit of the protests,” the governor posed.

Masara equally condemned the brutal acts of police officers and emphasized the need for Luo unity during the current times.

"What did a 22-year-old harmless youth do to deserve a bullet on his head? Why should police officers be the ones killing instead of protecting democratic Kenyans? There number is too little compared to civilians and they should understand demonstrators enjoy that freedom courtesy of the Constitution of Kenya 2010,” Masara stated.