Hawker Selling Masks Alive As Police Who Shot Him In Nairobi CBD Arrested
Meanwhile, the National Police Service (NPS) has confirmed the arrest of the officer, who is yet to be officially identified.
Marvin Chege 
The unarmed mask vendor who was shot by a police officer in the head at close range during protests in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) is alive.
Photos seen by Viral Tea showed the vendor, identified as Eli Joshua, fighting for his life at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he was rushed to after the incident occurred on Tuesday, June 17. His head was wrapped in a bandage.
"I’ve confirmed that Eli Joshua is still at KNH being attended to in the theatre," an update on X by activist Hanifa Adan reads.
Meanwhile, the National Police Service (NPS) has confirmed the arrest of the officer, who is yet to be officially identified. Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga stated that the officer will be arraigned in court.
A wide-angled picture of the police officer running towards the protester from a convoy of police along Moi Avenue, June 17, 2025. /AFRICA UNCENSORED
NPS further revealed that the officer in a baseball cap had shot Joshua using an "anti-riot shotgun" in an incident that has shocked the whole country.
"The National Police Service (NPS) has noted with great concern an incident involving the shooting of an unarmed civilian by a police officer using an anti-riot shotgun, within the Nairobi Central Business District on 17th June 2025," the statement read in part.
"Following this incident, the Inspector-General National Police Service ordered the immediate arrest and arraignment in court of the involved officer. The said police officer has since been arrested."
Furthermore, NPS took note of a group of goons armed with crude weapons in today's protests within the CBD, adding that it takes great exception and does not condone such unlawful groupings.
"Such individuals will be handled firmly, according to the law. Consequently, investigations have commenced to identify and deal with the criminals accordingly," added NPS.
This is the first official statement since the incident happened at around 3.30 pm. In a clip seen by Viral Tea, the police officer was seen sprinting toward a group of protesters gathered along Mondlane Street near Imenti House, emerging from a larger group of officers stationed on Moi Avenue across from the Nairobi Sports Centre.
The officer, charging toward the crowd, discharged his firearm in their direction, though no injuries were reported at that point. Moments later, the officer returned, turning off Moi Avenue onto Mondlane Street alongside a fellow officer. There, they confronted the man selling face masks.
Rather than moving past him, the two officers stopped. One slapped the man, while the other struck him with the butt of his rifle. Seconds later, the first officer raised his weapon and shot the man at close range.
What our hawk-eyes took note of when we reviewed the clips of the officer was that he was wearing a facial covering during the protests, which we discovered was against a court order which barred police officers from wearing facial coverings during protests.
Justice Mwamuye had ruled that face coverings worn by officers during protests undermine transparency and accountability, making it difficult to identify state agents when they exercise force.
However, several other photos that circulated on social media revealed the same officer with his colleagues wearing the baseball cap and using the same shotgun he had used against Eli Joshua.
