Senator demands answers on deaths during saba saba protests
Gachwara, a Form Three student, was fatally shot by police in Nanyuki on the same day during the protests, further intensifying public concern.
Laikipia senator John Kinyua. Photo/Parliament of Kenya
By Robert Assad
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua on Wednesday demanded a full investigation into the deaths of Julia Njoki and Thomas Gachwara, who died following incidents linked to the Saba Saba demonstrations in Nanyuki on July 7, 2025.
Njoki, 24, died two days after she was remanded at Nanyuki Prisons, where she was taken after failing to post a Kshs50,000 cash bail. Medical reports cited blunt force trauma after she was transferred to Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital on July 9, raising suspicions about her treatment in custody.
Gachwara, a Form Three student, was fatally shot by police in Nanyuki on the same day during the protests, further intensifying public concern.
“The deaths of these two youths are deeply troubling,” Kinyua said while addressing the Senate during a session at Parliament Buildings. “They reveal a disturbing pattern of excessive force and neglect of detainee rights.”
Kinyua called on the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations to summon both the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner General of Prisons. He requested a detailed account of the arrests, detentions, and circumstances of both deaths.
He also urged the committee, chaired by Sen. Fatuma Dullo, to investigate whether the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has opened inquiries into police actions during the Saba Saba demonstrations.
Kinyua emphasized the need for the committee to report on violations of demonstrators’ rights and to detail disciplinary actions taken against officers involved. He also called for recommendations to reform policing protocols for public protests and detention.
About Author
