Outrage after police officers in Juja drag a gunshot victim

A screengrab showing when police dragged the body of a mechanic shot during protests in Juja. [UGC]

The National Police Service continues to face widespread condemnation following the Saba Saba protests that left several people dead and others nursing gunshot wounds.

The latest outrage follows a viral video showing officers from Juja dragging a man bleeding profusely, allegedly from a gunshot wound.

Witnesses said the young man was shot by officers after a confrontation with youths accused of trying to loot a supermarket.

“What you see in that video is after the police snatched the body of the young man from protesters who were carrying him. The officers dragged him away before the protesters could catch up with them,” one witness said.

Witnesses said the deceased was a motorbike mechanic in Juja and not part of the protesters. He is said to hail from Nyeri County. 

Protests in Juja turned violent, with demonstrators engaging police in running battles throughout the day. In the evening, protesters reportedly overpowered officers and looted several shops, including Mathaai Supermarket near the Juja flyover, which became a hotspot for the clashes.

“What we witnessed yesterday was pure thuggery, not a Sabasaba commemoration. Most of those people were not the usual students we see during demonstrations — they aimed to steal from the supermarket, which they knew was recently opened and fully stocked,” said one local trader.