At 23, James Wambugu had big dreams — grand ones that saw him re-join secondary school to study alongside students much younger than him.
But those dreams of becoming a doctor were brutally cut short by a trigger-happy police officer during the Saba Saba protests in Nanyuki Town, Laikipia County.
Ironically, Wambugu had narrowly escaped death in September 2022 after a knife attack by robbers that left him hospitalised for several weeks.
He was shot in the right hip during a confrontation with police officers at Likii Estate and was rushed to the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The late James Wambugu.
Photo credit: Pool
A video clip shared on social media shows a group of youths throwing stones at plainclothes police officers who were attempting to disperse them.
One officer is seen firing at the group. Moments later, Wambugu falls and tries to crawl on the tarmac as his colleagues rush to help him.
At the home of the deceased in Katheri village, on the outskirts of Nanyuki Town, an atmosphere of sorrow and anger hangs in the air.
“Why has this government we put in power resorted to killing our youths instead of seeking alternative ways to address their grievances? We are demanding that the officer who shot my last-born son be arrested and prosecuted,” said the mother, Ms Jane Kinanu, before breaking down in tears.
However, she added that she did not know how Wambugu ended up in the protests, which were taking place five kilometres away, while he was supposed to be in school.
“He left home at 6am heading to Bingwa Secondary Day School, about two kilometres away, but by 6pm, he had not returned homel. Around that time, I received a call from Nanyuki Hospital asking me to report there immediately. I arrived just as he was being wheeled into the operating theatre,” explained the mother of seven.
She said she remained at the hospital until 2am, then left for home, only to be called back at 6am when she received the devastating news. With that, her son’s dreams of joining medical college were shattered.
Ms Jane Kinanu, the mother of the late James Wambugu, 23, at her home at Katheri village, Meru County on July 10, 2025.
Photo credit: Mwangi Ndirangu | Nation Media Group
“His dream of becoming a medic was born out of his near-death experience after criminals robbed him of a motorcycle and stabbed him in the neck. He was hospitalised for two months. Over the past three years, he passionately talked about his desire to save lives, inspired by what he went through,” said Ms Kinanu.
The bereaved mother explained that at the time of the robbery, her son had dropped out of Form One a few years back, but the hospitalisation was a turning point in his life.
Wambugu’s elder sister, Doreen Kathambi, said she last saw Wambugu on July 5. They discussed his education, and he had emphasised his determination to improve in mathematics and science subjects.
“We spoke at length, and I encouraged him to work hard. At one point, he expressed concern that the government was not listening to the challenges facing the youth but was instead silencing them,” recalled Ms Kathambi, who lives and works in Meru Town.
Shoot in the leg directive
To her, it seemed like casual talk. She never imagined her brother would skip school to join the protests.
“Sadly, his name is the latest entry in the growing list of youths being silenced through extrajudicial killings,” she said.
As the family struggles to come to terms with the loss, they are disheartened that four days after his death, no government official has reached out to explain what happened or offer condolences.
Their only hope now lies with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa), which has begun investigations.
Central Region Ipoa Coordinator Rashid Wekesa confirmed that the agency had taken up the case after one of the family members reached out.
“We have commenced a probe, and any police officer found culpable will be dealt with according to the law. We shall be represented during the post-mortem, after which we will move to the next step,” Mr Wekesa said on the phone.
Wambugu’s shooting has sparked outrage among youths in Nanyuki Town, who have vowed to stage protests on Tuesday after the autopsy, to demand the arrest of the implicated officer.
“We shall not relent until Wambugu’s family gets justice. Police officers can execute President William Ruto’s order to shoot us in the legs, but they should know that if death results from such actions, the president won’t come to defend them in court,” said human rights activist Ms Joyce Wangui.
