By Jemutai Too,
Introduction
In Nairobi’s bustling Central Business District, where thousands go about their daily lives, a young hawker known as Eli was shot by a police officer. He wasn’t protesting. He wasn’t violent. He was simply at work selling face masks near Moi Avenue.
What happened next was captured on video and stunned the nation: a police officer aimed directly at Eli and fired.
If this can happen in broad daylight, under the full gaze of the public, what happens when no one is watching?
From Protest to Panic
June 17, 2025, was a day of national unrest. Kenyans took to the streets to protest the suspicious death of blogger Albert Ojwang, who died while in police custody. Peaceful demonstrations quickly turned tense as officers in riot gear stormed the Nairobi CBD, determined to suppress the movement.
Eli wasn’t among the protesters. He was simply caught in the crossfire.
“He raised his hands and begged,” recalls Brian Mwangi, who captured the moment on his phone. “He didn’t pose any threat. But the officer shot him anyway.”
Eli’s condition remains uncertain, but the moment has left an indelible scar on the nation. For many, it confirmed their worst fears about the unchecked power of the police.
The Video That Shook the Country
The footage that circulated online showed everything: an officer lifting his weapon, calmly aiming at an unarmed man, and pulling the trigger. Screams erupted. Onlookers scattered. The moment became a viral symbol of state brutality.
If they can shoot someone like that with cameras rolling, imagine what happens where there are no phones, no witnesses?
The video has sparked protests in other parts of the country, and the demand for police accountability has grown louder than ever.
A Familiar Pattern
Unfortunately, this isn’t a one-off incident. Over the past few years, Kenya has witnessed a disturbing pattern of police violence especially during public demonstrations. The deaths of protesters during the 2024 Gen Z-led protests remain fresh in the public memory.
“Every time we raise our voices, the state responds with bullets,” says a youth activist. “How many more must be shot before we see change?”
Although the National Police Service often promises investigations, the outcomes rarely lead to meaningful reform. Suspensions are short-lived. Arrests are few. Convictions? Almost nonexistent.
False Comfort in Familiar Statements
Following Eli’s shooting, the Inspector General of Police released a statement condemning the officer’s actions. The officer involved has reportedly been arrested. However, many Kenyans have grown weary of such statements routine, vague, and lacking in transparency.
For many citizens, especially the youth and the urban poor, trust in law enforcement is at an all-time low. They feel targeted, not protected. Controlled, not served.
A Question That Haunts Us All
Eli’s shooting has revived a painful conversation: What happens when there are no cameras?
For every incident caught on video, how many are erased by silence, fear, and lack of evidence? How many mothers bury their sons with no explanation, no justice?
We can’t keep treating these tragedies like accidents,They’re symptoms of a bigger problem a culture of impunity that lives inside our institutions.
Conclusion
We don’t know Eli’s fate. But we know what his shooting means for Kenya. It means our streets are not safe not for vendors, not for students, not for journalists, not for anyone.
It means our systems are failing us not in secret, but in public. It means that unless we demand justice now, we will be mourning again tomorrow.
Eli’s image wounded, unarmed, innocent is now etched in our national memory. The question is no longer if it will happen again. It’s when, and to whom.
Because if they can shoot someone in full view of the country, then who’s next?
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