On June 25, 2024, officers shot and killed Ericsson Kyalo Mutisya and other protesters outside of Nairobi's Parliament. The protests started because of the controversial Finance Bill, which called for big tax increases. As things got worse, protesters broke into the parliamentary building, which led to violent fights with police.
Jouurnalist Larry Madowo wrote a moving story of Mutisya's last moments and posted it on social media. At the time of the shooting, he saw Mutisya dancing outside of Parliament.
Madowo talked about how protesters wrapped Mutisya's body in the Kenyan flag and sang the national anthem as a heartbreaking show of unity after police first ignored it. A young guy in an orange shirt held Mutisya's hand, which made the sad scene even more emotional.
The event is part of a larger unrest in Kenya that has killed and hurt many people. Protesters, mostly young people, have spoken out against the Finance Bill, saying it will make the already high cost of living even higher. Even though people were angry and there were fights, Parliament passed the bill.
Human rights groups around the world quickly spoke out against the use of live ammunition against protests and called for accountability. The U.S. and other countries have told people to be calm and stressed how important it is to have peaceful conversations to solve problems.
"Protesters took Ericsson’s body after police ignored him. They draped the flag over him and sang the national anthem.
The brother with the fade and orange shirt held his hand. It broke my heart
📸 @festolang" Larry Madowo.