A 23-year-old form three student, James Gachara Wambugu, who was shot by police during the Saba Saba demonstration in Nanyuki town, was buried in Meru County in a solemn ceremony presided over by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
At six in the morning, the DCI officers drove to the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary, where the body of 23-year-old James Wambugu had been kept.
They then escorted the hearse carrying the body to the Katheri village home, some eight kilometers away.
Police officers are said to have taken that action after hearing rumors that young people intended to seize the coffin and transport it to the Nanyuki Police Station, which caught the family unaware.
As family, friends, and Gen Z from Nanyuki town gathered to mourn the tragic loss of a young life cut short by police, emotions ran high as the young man’s dream of becoming a doctor was cut short when he was caught in the crossfire while returning home from school.
Tension was high at the burial; a DCI officer took charge of the proceedings and directed the master of ceremonies, Mr. David Murithi, to only allow close family members to speak, with strict instructions to avoid provocative remarks.
However, Fr. Roy Mwiti, who presided over the ceremony, refused to be intimidated, pointing out that someone had attempted to dictate how he should deliver his sermon. He then delivered a furious sermon against Kenya’s Kwanza regime.
“To the police officer and other government agencies involved in killing young people airing their genuine grievances, you may kill their body, but you will not succeed in suppressing the spirit. James died a hero, and though we bury him today after being shot by police, his spirit will live on,” said the Katheri/Ndemu Parish priest.
The priest said in his sermon that police officers who have been blindly following orders from superiors to shoot peaceful protesters will always be haunted by their actions. He also mentioned that the majority of young protesters are peaceful and only have mobile phones, water bottles, and the national flag as weapons.
The young people and human rights advocates in attendance strongly criticized the local leaders for their silence while the government uses violent action against them, denouncing the act and calling for justice for Gachara.
An autopsy conducted yesterday found that James Gachara died of severe bleeding caused by a bullet wound.
Pathologists reported that a bullet struck the deceased in the pelvic area at the right hip and exited on the left, hurting multiple blood vessels, including the large and small intestines.
Pathologist Peter Ndegwa and Dr. Dorothy Njeru performed the autopsy in the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary under strict security, with only authorized personnel permitted past the gate and highly armed police officers on patrol.
Due to concerns that young people may stage protests following the postmortem’s results, police officers monitored Nanyuki town.
Written by Laban Muhinda
