On June 25, Brian Maina, 29, left his house in Umoja’s KCC area in Nairobi County to join protests in the capital's Central Business District.
He told his wife, Lydia Njoki Nduta, that he was heading to participate in the commemoration of the 60 young lives lost during the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations in 2024.
She wished him well, unaware it would be the last time she would see him leave home alive.
Later that day, at around 3 pm, Lydia saw a group of people carrying her husband home. He was weak and unable to stand.
“They left him at the door as he could not even stand. I had to take him into the house,” Ms Nduta recalled.
Anxious and unsure what to do, she asked him what had happened, as there was no visible blood.
“He told me the police had hit him on the head. I suggested going to the hospital, but he said he wanted to nap first,” she said.
She agreed to wait, planning to take him for a check-up later.
But minutes later, Maina began vomiting and getting alarmed, his wife rushed to call neighbours for help.
Brian Maina, 29, who was killed during the June 25, 2025, protests.
Photo credit: Pool
“We took him to the Silent Hill hospital for treatment. Just as we arrived before they could conduct an X-ray, he died. It was around 9 pm.,” she said.
Brian was buried the following Friday in Kagumo, Kirinyaga County. His sudden death has devastated the family.
Now Lydia, who works as a househelp, has been left alone to raise their two children, aged five and two.
“I just want my children to grow up well. I need a job now to provide for them. Brian was the provider in our family,” she said.
As she grieves, the thought of raising the children alone is overwhelming. She hopes the government can offer support, especially to ensure her children can attend school.
The incident was reported at Mowlem Police Post, but the family says they have yet to receive updates. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) has, however, visited them and assured them of an investigation.
“At this moment, I cannot comment on individual cases. We are currently collecting information from across the country. It’s not appropriate for me to speak on that yet,” he said.
