NAIROBI — The government has waived all medical bills for victims injured during the recent Gen Z protests, including the KSh815,805 bill owed by the family of Boniface Kariuki. He died on Monday at Kenyatta National Hospital after being shot in the head by police during demonstrations on Tom Mboya Street.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the directive, stating the charges will be absorbed through the hospital’s Disaster Emergency Fund. “This includes the outstanding bill of the late Mr. Boniface Kariuki, which stood at KSh815,805 at the time of his passing,” he announced during a briefing at Afya House.
Boniface Kariuki, 22, a face mask vendor in Nairobi, was among dozens injured during the June 25 protests that followed the death of influencer Albert Ojwang in police custody. Video footage widely shared online showed two uniformed officers confronting Kariuki before one fired a shot directly at his head. He collapsed and was rushed to KNH.
Doctors performed multiple surgeries over a two-week period but were unable to remove all the fragments from his brain. He never regained consciousness and was later declared brain-dead.
Kariuki’s father, Jonah Kariuki, had pleaded for assistance to cover the rising medical costs. “We are overwhelmed. We lost our son and still struggled to raise the funds,” he said. The family also reported falling victim to a con artist who promised help but vanished with KSh200,000.
Duale said the waiver extends to all patients admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital with injuries from the recent protests. “We offer our deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and extend our support to all those still recovering,” he said.
The move comes after widespread public criticism of the government’s response to youth-led demonstrations, which have left at least 19 people dead and more than 400 injured across the country. Most of the deaths, according to human rights observers and eyewitness accounts, were caused by live ammunition used by police officers.
The Ministry of Health described the waiver as a humanitarian measure to ease the financial burden on affected families and to show the state’s acknowledgment of their pain.
No arrests have been announced regarding the officers involved in Kariuki’s shooting. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has yet to release findings from its ongoing investigations.
Kariuki’s death has fueled calls for accountability within law enforcement and reinforced public demands for justice and police reform.
