Nairobi, Kenya – The president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Faith Odhiambo, is calling for the immediate arrest of a second police officer who was with the shooter caught on camera gunning down a street vendor during protests on Tuesday.
The disturbing scene unfolded along Moi Avenue in central Nairobi. Two officers, part of an anti-riot squad, were seen assaulting an unarmed hawker before one of them fired a bullet into his head at close range. The protests were part of growing unrest following the death of Albert Ojwang’, a case that has rattled the country.
While police have confirmed the arrest of the shooter, Odhiambo insists that the officer’s colleague should also be held responsible for the brutal act.
“It’s not just the shooter,” she told Spice FM on Wednesday. “His colleague was right there. You can see them push the victim, then flee together. That makes him an accessory.”
She added that failing to arrest both officers undermines efforts to hold police accountable. “They are part and parcel of the same crime and must be held to account,” she said.
Odhiambo also pressed the National Police Service (NPS) to disclose the name of the officer who has been arrested.
“Kenyans have already identified him online. They’ve named him, called out his family,” she said. “Why hasn’t the NPS released his identity officially?”
The video of the shooting has circulated widely, drawing national outrage and renewed demands for justice in cases of police abuse.
She also urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to speak out and take swift action.
“We’re still waiting for their statement. Kenyans want to know what IPOA is doing about this,” she added.
Meanwhile, the young man who was shot was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery. Health Director-General Patrick Amoth confirmed the procedure and said the victim remains in critical condition.
The protests, initially peaceful, turned chaotic after criminal elements infiltrated the crowd. Demonstrators had gathered to demand the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat, who has been linked to Ojwang’s death. Tensions escalated when police responded with force.
The incident is the latest in a string of police-related violence that has left many Kenyans frustrated and angry. Public trust in the police has been strained for years, but this shooting – caught in plain sight -has struck a raw nerve.
Activists and civil society leaders are now calling for deep reform within the police service.
As Odhiambo put it, “Justice can’t just stop at one arrest. We want real accountability -from everyone involved.”
