A wave of grief swept through Nairobi’s All Saints Cathedral on Wednesday as mourners gathered for the requiem mass of Boniface Kariuki, a 29-year-old mask vendor shot by police during anti-government protests on June 25.

Tears, tributes, and calls for justice filled the packed sanctuary, where family, friends, and supporters came to remember a man many described as kind, hardworking, and undeserving of the violence that claimed his life.

“It has been very difficult for us,” one family member said through tears. “But with God, we know we are going to win.”

Kariuki, who sold face masks on Nairobi’s streets, was unarmed when he was shot during protests that had gripped the capital. After two weeks in the ICU at Kenyatta National Hospital, doctors declared him brain dead. He was pronounced dead days later.

A Family’s Plea

Speaking at the service, Kariuki’s relatives said they were still struggling to come to terms with his death — and to raise the funds needed to bury him.

“We are yet to reach the target,” a relative said, appealing for continued financial support. “We are requesting well-wishers to help us lessen the burden.”

The family has planned a candlelight vigil for Wednesday evening at the exact spot where he was shot — a symbolic act of remembrance and defiance.

His burial is set for next Friday at his family’s home in Kangema, Murang’a County.

Leaders Demand Accountability

The service was also marked by fiery speeches from public figures, including Starehe MP Amos Mwago and activist Eric Omondi, who condemned the police’s use of force on peaceful demonstrators.

“We cannot normalise bloodshed in our streets,” Mwago told the congregation. “Boniface was unarmed. He was just trying to earn a living.”

Omondi echoed those sentiments, promising to take the matter to court. “We will not rest,” he said. “Justice must be served.”

A Symbol of Rising Tension

Kariuki’s death has become emblematic of a broader outcry over police conduct during recent nationwide demonstrations. At least a dozen people have died in incidents linked to the protests, according to human rights monitors, though the government has not released an official toll.

Kenyans have taken to the streets in recent weeks, demanding accountability, economic reform, and justice for victims of police brutality.

Kariuki, by many accounts, was not a protester — just a man trying to make ends meet.

“He wasn’t holding a stone or shouting slogans,” said a mourner at the service. “He was selling masks. That’s what makes this unbearable.”

As the sun set over Nairobi, preparations were underway for the evening vigil — a quiet moment in a city that is no stranger to grief, and now grappling with renewed calls for change.