Ishiara: A somber mood engulfed Ishiara Town in Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County, as hundreds of mourners gathered to bid farewell to one victim of a police shooting during protests over deplorable conditions at Ishiara Level 4 Hospital last week.
According to Kenya News Agency, Morris Mugo Njoka, 32, who was laid to rest at his parents’ home on the outskirts of Ishiara Town, was fatally shot during the protests alongside Patrick Munene Kariuki, 21, who is set to be buried on Saturday. Mourners who spoke during the burial ceremony, attended by leaders including Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Special Programmes and Human Capital Development Geoffrey Ruku, called for speedy investigations and apprehension of the officers involved to ensure justice is served to his family.
They condemned the incident, stating it was unfortunate for a life to be lost over a just cause in the clamor for better health services. Father Atanasio Mwaniki, who conducted the mass, emphasized that justice should not only i
nvolve apprehension and prosecution of the officers responsible but also the renovation of the hospital facility to ensure Njoka’s death was not in vain.
Area MP Leonard Muthende urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to fast-track investigations for the families to receive justice quickly. He criticized the Sh3 million compensation proposed by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) as inadequate, arguing that it did not match the value of lives lost in protests.
CS Ruku assured the grieving families that justice would be served as mourners, families, and the clergy pressed for accountability over the shooting. ‘I want to make a commitment from the government that justice will be done for the families of Morris and Patrick,’ he stated.
