19-Year-Old Injured During Azimio Protests Dies At KNH

A doctor who was treating Mwanza said the patient died from a brain haemorrhage due to the head injuries he sustained during the protests.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Apr 10, 2023 - 13:54 Updated: Apr 10, 2023 - 13:57
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19-Year-Old Injured During Azimio Protests Dies At KNH
Kenyatta National Hospital. /FILE

A 19-year-old boy who sustained head injuries during the Azimio la Umoja demonstrations against President William Ruto's government is dead.

Jamleck Mwanza died while undergoing treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for the injuries he sustained during the protests on Thursday, March 30 in Embakasi, Nairobi.

A doctor who was treating Mwanza said the patient died from a brain haemorrhage due to the head injuries he sustained during the protests.

Mwanza's parents had revealed to the media that the deceased had gone missing for days before, they found him at KNH on Saturday, April 1. 

A police water cannon sprays pink water on Raila's convoy on March 30, 2023. /RAILA ODINGA

 "I am saddened because he was my first born and I was working hard so that he can go to school," Mwanza's mother said.

The mother appealed to differing political leaders in both the opposition and the government allied to Raila Odinga and President Ruto respectively to hold talks and avoid engaging members of the public in their clashes to avoid a distasteful aftermath similar to their ordeal.

"I wish politicians would sit down and talk instead of going to the streets because many people get hurt and some are children," she added.

The family is now working to cover the medical bills as they await a postmortem to be conducted on the body.

President Ruto had on Sunday, April 2 urged Raila to call off the weekly nationwide demonstrations while agreeing to reconstitute the selection panel for the IEBC through a bipartisan parliamentary process, which was one of Raila's demands during the demonstrations.

Raila two hours later resolved to call off the demonstrations to allow the opposition to engage with the government through a parliamentary bi-partisan process.

At least three people including a police officer lost their lives during the Azimio protests with the property of unknown value being destroyed.

Former Roots Party running mate Justina Wamae on Saturday, April 8 had accused the youth wings in both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza of allowing the demonstrations to take place before they were called off to allow for bipartisan talks between Raila and President Ruto.

Wamae dressed down the youth for allowing egos on both sides to take charge of their agendas instead of speaking out against them, possibly averting the demonstrations that led to the destruction of property and bringing the economy to a halt.

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) applauds as former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto shake hands during 16th annual Kenya National prayers breakfast at the Safari Park Hotel on May 31, 2018. /NAIROBI NEWS

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