NAIROBI: Several hundred Kenyans gathered in the capital Nairobi on Friday for the funeral of a 19-year-old motorbike taxi driver, hailed as a “hero” after being killed during deadly anti-government demonstrations this week.

Ibrahim Kamau was one of thousands who protested the government’s proposed tax hikes and ransacked parliament in clashes over the last two weeks.

Family, friends and residents of his Biafra neighbourhood in the east of Nairobi gathered for a ceremony at a local mosque following his death on Tuesday.

His coffin was draped in a green sheet emblazoned with Islamic crescents and carried in a procession through Nairobi’s suburbs, including Majengo and Gikomba, to the Kariokor cemetery.

In keeping with Muslim tradition, men joined the procession as it passed, carrying flags and chanting political slogans such as “Ruto must go”, referring to President William Ruto.

“He is a hero,” said Chico, a 37-year-old family friend, adding that “We don’t really understand why he was even there” at the protest.

“He was a nice boy. He was a very calm boy,” he said.

According to those close to him, Ibrahim Kamau was killed on the outskirts of parliament when police opened fire with live ammunition on the crowd entering the building. “They (the demonstrators) were not even armed,” Chico said. The largely peaceful rallies turned violent on Tuesday when lawmakers passed the tax increases.

After the announcement of the vote, crowds stormed the parliament complex and a fire broke out in clashes unprecedented in the history of the country’s independence since 1963.

Ruto’s administration withdrew the bill Wednesday.

The state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said it had recorded 22 deaths, adding that it would open an investigation.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2024