Amid escalating tensions over the controversial Finance Bill, CCTV footage obtained by NTV has unveiled the harrowing final moments of Rex Masai, a protester allegedly shot and killed by police on Thursday, 20 June.
The footage depicts a chaotic scene along Moi Avenue, where passersby scramble for safety as law enforcement officers advance with clubs, pistols, and tear gas.
Rex, a 29-year-old who witnesses say was merely on his way home from work, found himself caught in the turmoil. The video shows an officer throwing an object, possibly a stone, towards the protesters.
As the crowd flees down Mama Ngina Street, another group runs for their lives, unaware that disaster looms. In a desperate moment, one individual drops a phone, hesitates, but then abandons it upon seeing a police officer brandishing a pistol.
From another angle, this officer fires the shot that is said to have tragically hit Rex.
The aftermath reveals Rex lying on the street, grievously wounded by a bullet in his thigh. A friend, who remains unidentified for security reasons, rushed him to Bliss Medical Centre near the National Archives.
Unfortunately, the medical assistance came too late, and Rex succumbed to his injuries minutes later.
His family, shattered by the loss, faced additional anguish from procedural delays. Authorities directed them to the city mortuary for a post-mortem examination, citing the need for a homicide investigation. This process was marred by further delays, with the family waiting over four hours for a file from Central Police Station.
The post-mortem, conducted on Friday, confirmed that Rex died from excessive bleeding due to the thigh wound. His mother, Gillian Munyao, expressed her frustration and grief, stating, "After the body was brought here yesterday, we were told to be here at 8am, which we did. But we have been waiting here for more than four hours and we are frustrated."
Rex's body has since been moved to Lee Funeral Home as his family begins burial arrangements. Gillian Munyao, while mourning her son, has called for justice, expressing her reliance on divine justice. "I am a mother who knows God, and I do not want to return evil for evil. Let God fight for me," she said.
The incident has sparked an outcry for accountability from both the family and social justice movements. They demand answers and justice for Rex's death, which has become a poignant symbol of the broader struggle against police brutality and government accountability in the face of civic dissent.
The identity of the officer said to have shot Rex remains clouded in mystery. Online sleuths have released what they say is his police identification number, but the National Police Service (NPS) has yet to comment on the matter.
The anti-Finance Bill protests, dubbed Occupy Parliament, had seen fewer casualties compared to earlier demonstrations. However, Rex Masai's death has cast a dark shadow over the movement, intensifying calls for governmental reform and transparent investigations into the use of force by police during peaceful protests.
As the public rallies around Rex's family, the demand for justice grows louder. Activists and human rights organisations are urging swift action against the officer responsible for the fatal shot. They argue that this incident exemplifies a troubling pattern of excessive force used against civilians exercising their right to protest.
