Riots Erupt After 17-Year-Old Boy Dies In Mathare North During Demolition Of Houses

Protests erupted on Monday, May 6 after a 17-year-old boy was reported to have died in Mathare North as a bulldozer demolished houses in the informal settlement.

Speaking to Viral Tea, sources revealed that the boy was struck fatally on the head as the demolition exercise believed to target homes on riparian land was ongoing.

"Yes, there's been riots since morning. Residents reluctant to leave have been protesting," the source revealed.

An eyewitness told Viral Tea that the demos are taking place at Area 1 in the estate pitting youth against police officers.

Screengrab of a police car at Mathare North on May 6, 2024. /THE EASTLEIGH VOICE

The boy was believed to have been handling power cables by pulling them from the building that was being torn down before a wall caved in on him, leading to his death.

The protests reportedly turned chaotic, with the police and crowds engaging in confrontations. The former was forced to lob teargas to disperse the crowds, as per videos seen by Viral Tea.

A woman was further injured by a stray bullet and taken to hospital. The demolition exercise was part of evacuation orders issued to residents living on riparian land to avert more tragedies as a result of the flooding menace.

Police at the time of publishing this article are yet to issue a statement on the matter.

Earlier, President William Ruto made an impromptu visit to Mathare, which is not far from the scene of the protests, to asses the flooding situation and check on the victims displaced by heavy rains.

The President toured the Kiamaiko area in the company of Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki, where he addressed locals assuring them of government support.

Ruto promised that the government would support affected families with a Ksh10,000 stipend to help them seek alternative accommodation for three months as the government seeks a lasting solution.

"Everyone in 40,000 households that have been relocated for their safety, the government will give them Ksh10,000 to look for a place to stay as they await the government's next course of action," he announced.

"For every household that we have relocated from here, we have taken your names and we will make sure that those who lived here, we will give you money to look for a place to rent for the next three months as the government plans on how you'll be assisted."

President William Ruto addressing residents of Mathare, Nairobi County on May 6, 2024. /PCS