Did he have to die? Police bullet kills ‘the hope’ of a Narok family
Brian Mike Kasaine, 19, who was set to join university, but was killed during the anti-Finance Bill protests in Narok town.
What you need to know:
- Kasaine was reportedly shot dead a few metres from the gate of Narok Police Station.
- Grieving mother recalls her last moments with her son before his untimely death.
At 19, Brian Mike Kasaine, who was set to join university, was the source of hope for his family who had struggled to send him to secondary school.
The death of the teenager, who was shot dead during the anti-Finance Bill protests in Narok town last week, has left his family in pain and agony.
Kasaine's family is struggling to come to terms with the loss of their son following last Tuesday's protests that led to confrontation between the protesters and anti-riot police officers.
The 19-year-old was the unfortunate victim of a police bullet that snuffed life out of him.
According to his family, Kasaine was shot dead a few metres from the gate of Narok Police Station.
Kasaine, who sat for his KCSE examination last year at St Peter's Nyakemincha Secondary School in Nyamira and scored a B+, was set to join Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University.
His mother, Mary Nyanchoka, is in anguish as she recounts how the day started well before her son met his death.
The grieving mother recalled her last moments with her son before he left to join his peers in the protests.
"He woke up in fine fettle and spirit. We shared light moments before he quietly left home for Narok CBD where he joined other protesters. He was not armed when they shot him. His only mistake was to protest peacefully," said the distraught mother.
“It is so painful. I'm still in disbelief and I keep hoping he will wake up," she said.
Ms Nyanchoka said when her son failed to return home by 7pm that Tuesday, the family went out to look for him.
Mary Nyanchoka, the mother of 19-year-old Brian Mike Kasaine who was shot dead during the anti-Finance Bill protests in Narok town.
"We went to the hospital to look for him but did not find him. We went to the police but the officers said nobody had been arrested. The following day l woke up around 6am to look for him,” she recalls.
“As a family, we are demanding justice. We just want to know who shot and killed my son and what he did to deserve such a death.”
Kasaine died at Narok County Referral Hospital while being treated for gunshot wounds to the stomach.
Kasaine's brother Kelvin Mzee said Kasaine had big dreams and was looking forward to building a good future for himself and the family.
"It is sad that his dreams have been shattered. His life was snuffed out by police officers who are supposed to protect us. We want justice for my brother,” he said.
Kasaine's aunt, Joscar Rioki, could not hold back tears as she demanded for justice.
“The police shot him yet he was not armed. We need justice for Kasaine. He was fighting for his rights as enshrined in the Kenyan Constitution," she said.
“Kasaine left home early in the morning and joined other protestors on the streets of Narok town. It was all peaceful until police officers started lobbing teargas canisters and shooting at protesters around 4pm. That is when he was shot, according to his peers,” she said.
Activist Ramadhan Shaban called on human rights commissions to investigate the killing of Kasaine and other young people across the country to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted.
Two more people were shot and killed during the protests in Narok.
