Activist Boniface Mwangi has renewed calls for justice over the killing of Rex Masai, marking what would have been his 31st birthday with a strongly worded statement shared on X on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
In the statement, Mwangi accused the police and senior government officials of protecting the officer he claims fatally shot Masai during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
“Today is Rex Masai’s birthday. He was shot and killed by Police Constable Isaiah Murangiri during the 2024 anti-finance bill protests. All evidence points to him,” Mwangi wrote.
He said that the Police Constable was captured in photos and videos taken by protesters on the day Masai was shot. According to Mwangi, Kenyans who attended the protests submitted hundreds of images and clips that he says identify the officer as the shooter.
However, Mwangi further claimed that records were interfered with to shield the person of interest. He reported that an armoury officer at Central Police Station tampered with the arms movement register in an attempt to conceal who had been issued with the firearm used during the protests.
“This level of collusion is only possible because Ruto does not want a single police officer who shot and murdered peaceful Gen Z protesters to end up in jail,” Mwangi said, directly accusing President William Ruto of protecting officers involved in the crackdown.
Delayed justice
Masai was among several young Kenyans who were shot during the nationwide demonstrations against the 2024 Finance Bill. The protests, largely driven by Gen Z activists, were held in Nairobi and other major towns. Demonstrators accused the government of pushing harsh tax measures at a time when many were already struggling with the high cost of living.
Masai was shot in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) as protesters clashed with anti-riot police. Witnesses at the time said he was unarmed. He was rushed to the hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
An inquest into his death has been ongoing, but the process has faced repeated delays. On Tuesday, the hearing scheduled at Milimani Law Courts was cancelled for the second time in a week, reportedly because the magistrate was unavailable.
Mwangi said Masai’s parents had prepared to attend the hearing, only to be informed it would not proceed.
“Today, his parents were supposed to be in court for the inquest, but the hearing was cancelled for the second time in a week,” he wrote.
He revealed that he had spoken to Masai’s mother, who shared her pain and exhaustion with the prolonged court process.
“I spoke to Rex’s mother; she told me she had gone out for a walk because she was feeling low and didn’t want Rex to look down from heaven and see her sad,” Mwangi said.
According to him, Masai’s friends had gathered at the court premises ready to cut a cake in his honour to mark his birthday.
His mother, he added, feels the case is not moving forward.
“They are taking us round and round. Whatever they have decided, they should tell us. Tell us the truth. We aren’t happy about having to keep coming to court; it’s been two years now. Our sons will not be returned to us, so let us rest, and let our sons rest, instead of making us come to court every week,” she said.
Protest deaths
Masai’s case remains the only active inquest publicly linked to the fatal police shootings of Gen Z protesters during the 2024 demonstrations.
In a November 2025 report, Amnesty International estimated that at least 128 people died as a result of excessive force by security agencies during the protests. The report documented fatal shootings, abductions that later resulted in deaths, and cases of enforced disappearances where bodies were later found bearing signs of torture.
Mwangi referenced the report in his statement, saying the number represents “128 mothers and loved ones still crying for justice.”
“It’s likely none of them will ever get justice, and that’s why Ruto Must Go! He cannot kill us and lead us,” he stated.
As the inquest into Masai’s death drags on, his family continues to wait for answers nearly two years after he was killed.
