Family mourns their only child killed during Gen Z protest

The family and friends of 20-year-old Peter Mwangi Nyambura are demanding justice following his tragic death during the Gen Z-led protests in Nyeri town on June 25.

Mwangi, a first-year student at Nyeri National Polytechnic, allegedly sustained fatal head injuries as police attempted to disperse crowds and stop looters who had invaded Naivas Supermarket during the demonstrations.

The peaceful demonstration had initially been planned as a memorial to honor Gen Z protesters who lost their lives during last year’s protests.

However, what began as a solemn tribute quickly escalated into chaos when police responded with force, triggering panic and confusion in parts of Nyeri town.

The aftermath left a trail of destruction — broken shop windows, scattered merchandise, and tear gas lingering in the air. But for one mother in Baghdad village, Kieni East, the cost was deeply personal — the life of her only son.

Emotions ran high yesterday as the quiet village of Baghdad turned into a place of mourning. Dozens of mourners gathered to comfort the family and help dig the final resting place for Mwangi.

Many came in silence, others in disbelief, struggling to understand how a young man with so much promise could die under such murky circumstances. Classmates from the polytechnic stood shoulder-to-shoulder with neighbors, holding shovels and wiping away tears.

“I got him when I was already old,” said Esther Nyambura, her voice breaking as she clutched a portrait of her son.

“I never thought I would be blessed with a child, and when he came, he became my world. I poured everything I had into raising him. He was the reason I woke up every morning."

Mwangi was not just any son, he was her only child, born late in life after years of waiting and prayer. A single mother, Esther did everything from casual jobs to selling vegetables at the local market to keep her son in school. She recalled their last conversation just two days before the protest.

On the day of the protest, Esther had gone for her routine hospital check-up. Unaware of the unfolding chaos in Nyeri town, she later tried calling her son around 7 p.m.

“I tried calling his phone, but it went unanswered. I assumed he was busy and went to bed. The next morning, a neighbor came to the house and told me Mwangi had been injured during the protest. He had been hit on the head,” she said.

“At that moment, I knew something was terribly wrong. I just felt it in my heart, my son was no more."

Mwangi had been rushed to the Nyeri County Referral Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival, despite efforts to save him.

Initially, the family was told there were no visible wounds on his body. “After the post-mortem, the doctor said there were no visible injuries,” Esther recalled, shaking her head in disbelief. “So how did my son die? What happened between the time he was injured and the time he was taken to hospital?”

However, the official autopsy later provided a clearer, more troubling picture.

A post-mortem conducted at the Nyeri County Referral Hospital revealed that Mwangi died from intracranial hemorrhage and a severe head injury caused by blunt force trauma to the skull. According to the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), the injuries were consistent with a violent impact to the head — raising fresh questions about the use of force during the protest crackdown.

The family now lives with painful uncertainty. Was Peter’s death a tragic accident, the result of excessive force, or was he intentionally targeted?

“I need to understand how my son lost his life. Was it an accident, was he caught in the chaos, or was there intention behind it? Even after we lay him to rest, I won’t stop seeking the truth," Esther said.

Mwangi’s cousin, Anthony Kinywa, recalled the heartbreak that followed.

“His mother asked me to help her find Peter’s number in her phone because she wanted to send him money to refill his cooking gas,” he said. “When I came across the reports confirming that he had died during the protest — seeing his name in that context, not as someone to call, but as someone who was gone — it shattered me. That moment left me numb.”

In Baghdad village, the pain is shared. Robert Kinywa Muchira, the chairman of Baghdad–Kirinyaga Central village, called on authorities to act with urgency and transparency.

“We are not asking for much. All we want is the truth. This is not just a death. It is a life cut short. Peter was not a criminal. He was a student, a future professional. As a community, we are standing with his mother and demanding a proper investigation into how and why he died," he said.

He added that Mwangi had always stayed away from trouble and was likely caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“He wasn’t the type to cause trouble. He was either studying or helping his mother. Seeing him die so young is painful for all of us," he said.

As the family prepares to lay him to rest on Thursday, their cry remains united and unwavering — justice for Mwangi.

“We don’t want revenge,” Esther said quietly, standing beside the freshly dug grave. “I just want the truth. Let my son’s death not be forgotten. Let him not have died in vain. He had dreams. He had a future. And someone took that away from him."

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has officially launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Peter Mwangi Nyambura’s death.

Speaking to journalists, Nyeri Sub-County Police Commander Andrew Mbogo confirmed that the case has been formally referred to IPOA for independent review.

“The matter is now under IPOA. We are cooperating fully and will provide any support necessary to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation,” said Mbogo.

Meanwhile, 21 individuals arrested in connection with the unrest that erupted during the protest were arraigned in court on Wednesday. Of those, one suspect pleaded guilty, while another was absent due to illness. The remaining 19 denied the charges and were each released on a cash bail of Sh50,000 or bond of Sh100,000. The hearing was scheduled for July 22.