Outrage in Majengo as teenager killed after Ramadan prayers

Tension gripped Majengo in Shauri Moyo, Nairobi, after a 17-year-old boy was shot dead in cold blood while walking home from Ramadan prayers.

The victim, Ibrahim Ramadhan, a Form Four student at Kamukunji Secondary School, was gunned down on the very street he grew up on-his tragic fate eerily resonating his own name in this sacred Muslim season.

Witnesses claim he was shot in the head by a police officer on Tuesday evening, an incident that has ignited public outrage and renewed debate over police brutality.

Furious residents took to the streets in protest, clashing with police as they demanded justice for the slain teenager. The standoff, which began early Wednesday morning, saw angry youth barricading roads, setting police houses ablaze, and engaging in running battles with law enforcement officers.

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The unfolding of the tragedy has left a grieving mother, struggling to come to terms with the brutal loss of her son. With tears streaming down her face, Ramadhan’s mother recounted the last moments she spent with her child, who she insists was on his way from the mosque for evening prayers when he was gunned down.

“Ibrahim told me he was going to the mosque, then he would come back so we could prepare dinner. He went and prayed, then returned, but found a commotion at Pumwani Social Hall. Police were harassing some young men. I went to see what was happening and found an officer demanding bribes from the boys who were just selling snacks,” she said.

The situation quickly escalated when the officer, according to eyewitnesses, began firing shots into the air. Ramadhan’s mother recalled her desperate plea to the officer, urging him to stop shooting indiscriminately.

“I told him he was not doing the right thing, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. These were just boys trying to make a living. But he didn’t listen. He hit the table, scattering their snacks, and the chaos worsened,” she said.

Moments later, Ramadhan, concerned about his mother’s safety, rushed back to check on her. Assured that she was unharmed, he turned to leave. It was then that the fatal shot rang out.

“The officer was jumping over a wall while shooting aimlessly. Ramadhan happened to be passing by, and he was shot directly in the forehead. I counted four shots, and one of them took my son’s life,” said Ramadhan’s mother. The young man was rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital and later transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

“I want justice for my son. He did not deserve to die like this and the matter should not be buried with him. The police officer involved should be brought to book,” she said.

Residents who witnessed the incident paint a chilling picture of the events. Betty Ngila, a businesswoman, described the aftermath of the shooting.The tension escalated as another young man was shot in the stomach during the protests.

The residents and human rights activists have condemned the killing, calling for accountability. Zachariah Abdulahi, a resident, decried the excessive use of force by the police.“They should stop killing the youth. These officers are using live bullets on unarmed civilians. How can they justify this? Ramadhan’s life was a future cut short, and those responsible must be held accountable,” he said.

Hussein Khalid, Executive Director of Vocal Africa, expressed outrage over the incident, terming it part of a disturbing pattern of police brutality.

The police, however, have offered a starkly different account of events. According to Police Spokesperson Michael Muchiri, the confrontation began when two undercover officers attempted to arrest a young man suspected of carrying a bag of cannabis.

“Two undercover officers at Majengo Gorofani area while trying to pursue a young man believed to be carrying a bag with cannabis (bhang) were overpowered by a bigger mob of youths in aid of the suspect. As a result, the two officers were injured as a result of being pelted with stones and crude weapons,” noted Muchiri.