A police officer who was captured on video shooting an unarmed mask vendor during the June 17 protests in Nairobi has been arrested, according to the National Police Service (NPS).
The incident, which occurred along Moi Avenue, sparked public outrage after footage showed two anti-riot officers cornering the vendor, brutally assaulting him, and then shooting him at close range. The protests had been organised to demand the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, following a string of incidents involving alleged police brutality.
In a statement released on Tuesday evening, NPS Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga confirmed that the officer involved had been arrested on the orders of Inspector-General Douglas Kanja.
“Following this incident, the Inspector-General of the National Police Service has ordered the immediate arrest, investigation, and arraignment in court of the involved officer. The said police officer has since been arrested,” the statement read.
However, the Service did not disclose the officer’s identity or share a photo confirming the arrest, a move that has raised further concerns from the public.
The police service also condemned the actions of a group of armed individuals believed to have infiltrated the protests with the intent of inciting violence.
“NPS has noted a group of goons armed with crude weapons in today’s protests within the CBD. The Service takes great exception and does not condone such unlawful groupings. Such individuals will be handled firmly according to the law. Investigations have commenced to identify and deal with the criminals accordingly,” the statement added.
NPS further noted that the injured vendor was taken to hospital and is currently receiving treatment.
The officer’s arrest comes amid a national outcry over rising cases of police brutality. The recent death of social media influencer and teacher Albert Ojwang’ while in police custody, as well as the shooting of the hawker, have fueled public demands for accountability.
Activists and members of the public continue to call for the prosecution of all officers involved in human rights violations during protests, warning that failure to act decisively could further erode public trust in law enforcement.
