As the country continues to mourn and celebrate the life of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, it is a completely different feeling for the family of 42-year-old Jidah Burka, who was shot and killed when a scuffle broke out between mourners and police officers at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Burka was among thousands of mourners who had gathered to pay their last respects when chaos erupted between the police and the crowd, leading to gunfire that claimed his life on Thursday last week.
His mother, Boni Bori, says her son left home early that morning, excited to attend the event and bid farewell to a man he deeply admired.
“He told us he was going to see Baba for the last time. He never came back,” she recounted tearfully, with the family revealing that they received the devastating news hours later through a phone call.
“I was called and asked whether I had been in contact with my son. I told them I had seen him go to work but had not spoken to him lately. That is when I was informed that my son was no longer alive,” Bori said, struggling to hold back her emotions.
She described Burka as a hard-working man and the family’s sole breadwinner. “All I knew was that my son had gone to see the late Raila, but till now I do not know why the government killed my son. I have no other breadwinner. He was our only source of support. I want to know why my son was killed. Our children now have nowhere to turn to,” she added.
Burka leaves behind a wife and three children, with the family maintaining that the loss has left a permanent void that they are yet to come to terms with.
Human Rights Groups
The incident has sparked public outrage, with human rights groups condemning the police for excessive use of force during what was meant to be a peaceful national mourning event, with Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid calling for immediate investigations into the killing.
“We are asking the police to exercise restraint when dealing with Kenyans and calling on IPOA to immediately initiate investigations so that those responsible can be arrested and held to account,” Khalid said.
Three Dead
According to preliminary reports, at least three people have so far been confirmed dead following the scuffle at Kasarani, with several others nursing injuries.
Meanwhile, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is yet to issue an official statement on whether it has launched a probe into the matter.
Approximately 100 people were reported to have sustained varying degrees of injuries during the chaos witnessed during the viewing of the body of the former Prime Minister, according to Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga.
