Kenyan youth took to the streets on Friday wearing face masks in a symbolic nationwide protest against police brutality, following the point-blank shooting of a street vendor by an anti-riot officer during recent demonstrations in Nairobi.
Dubbed #MaskFriday, the movement is a show of solidarity with Boniface Kariuki, a mask vendor who was shot in broad daylight on Moi Avenue during the #JusticeForAlbertOjwang protests earlier this week.
Boniface, who sustained life-threatening injuries, is currently recovering at Kenyatta National Hospital after undergoing emergency surgery on Tuesday night.
Prominent comedian and activist Eric Omondi helped lead the protest online and in person, stating: “Wearing a mask is our collective plea—silence is not an option. We stand with Boniface and all victims of state violence.”
The shooting, captured in a chilling video that has gone viral, shows two uniformed officers confronting Boniface. One strikes him with the butt of a rifle while another slaps him before firing at point-blank range. Boniface immediately collapses as the officers walk away.
Initial unverified reports suggested that the vendor had died, but his father later confirmed that Boniface is alive, though in critical condition.
In response to mounting public pressure, the National Police Service confirmed that the officer involved has been disarmed, arrested, and is in police custody. Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyagah said Inspector General Douglas Kanja personally ordered the immediate arrest.
The incident has intensified public anger over what many see as a growing trend of excessive force by Kenyan police during peaceful protests.
The face mask, once a pandemic symbol, has now become a powerful emblem of resistance and remembrance.
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