Being a hero is about the shortest-lived profession on earth, however, this has not stopped the everyday Kenyan from performing acts of unadulterated valor.
These 'guy/girls next door' individuals usually jump in the line of danger without regard to their own personal well-being.
Below is a breakdown of 5 Kenyan heroes who grabbed the headlines over the past year.
Richard Muema alias Kasarani Chuck Norris
Muema was the talk of the entire country back on November 5, 2019, when a video of armed robbers pumping him with bullets went viral.
In the CCTV footage, the armed robbers can be seen ordering Muema to the ground and he immediately complies after which the gunmen shift their attention to the shopkeeper.
However, shortly later, Muema gets up and launches an offensive on one of the gunmen. He may have ended up with 8 bullets pummelled into him from close range for his troubles, but his act undoubtedly saved the shop owners' life.
The freelance journalist underwent successful surgeries at the Kenyatta National Hospital, and is set for a full recovery.
Embassava Matatu Crew
On December 21, 2019, an Embassava Sacco matatu was turned into a delivery ward as the crew swiftly ditched their daily routine to come to the aid of a lady who went into labour while on her way to the hospital.
“I just saw a woman writhing in pain before she went down on her knees while her husband, who was carrying a bag, tried to help her to her feet.
"Just then she made a loud scream and the baby came out, luckily enough I was right on time to hold the baby’s head as she came out,” Joseph Anari narrated.
Members of the matatu crew then offered their jackets to wrap the baby, while a woman in the crowd is said to have offered her hairband, which was used to tie the baby's umbilical cord.
James Mugo Kangara
His act of valor went viral in an instant as it was one of those things only reserved for superman-themed movies.
On September 5, 2019, Mugo jumped into a burning fuel tanker and steered it out of a petrol station, and in the process ended up saving countless lives and property worth of millions.
The driver narrated that he was offloading petrol at the station when a fire started from beneath the tanker.
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“I managed to drive the burning tanker away from the shops and residential houses and jumped out before the tanker burst into flames and was reduced to a shell,” he recounted.
Abubakar the Taxi Driver
The taxi driver grabbed national headlines on January 20, when word got around that he had bravely driven two suspected Al-Shabaab militants - Aden Hassan Mohammed (22) and Ibrahim Ali Guyo (19) - into a police station.
Abubakar became suspicious when the passengers insisted that he should avoid highways and stick to unmanned routes through the bushes.
He complied with their request, driving his passengers through the bushes before making his way to a police post, to the surprise of his passengers.
A thorough search conducted by police saw them recover a Makarov Zeska pistol and several rounds of ammunition.
Daniel Mburu the Boda Boda Guy
This was a sad case where the hero ended up losing his life. The boda boda operator was shot dead by an AP officer at Mama Lucy Hospital in Nairobi under unclear circumstances.
Reports indicated that Mburu had rescued a young girl who reportedly was drowning in Korogocho River and immediately took his motorbike and rushed her to the nearby facility to save her life.
On arrival at the hospital gate, a scuffle ensued, Mburu forced his entry into the facility to save the child's life as he saw it an emergency. Luckily enough, he managed to find his way at the Accident and Emergency centre, where he handed over the young girl to the medics.
When he came out, he noticed that his motorcycle was missing and inquiries in the same led him to the AP officer who had confiscated it for alleged trespassing.
During the exchange of words regarding the boda boda, the AP officer who was carrying his rifle - an AK 47, shot the young man in the chest.
Countless other Kenyans have engaged in remarkable acts of heroism including whistleblowing, however, in Kenya heroes as is the case across the world, have a tendency to be forgotten soon after their selfless acts have wowed millions.
