The family of Trevor Mureithi, a 20-year-old first-year student at Multimedia University, has publicly addressed the brutal treatment he endured at the hands of anti-riot police during a peaceful protest on Tuesday. Mureithi’s mother, Mureithi Ikinya, revealed on Wednesday that her son is scheduled for surgery and expressed profound distress over the incident.
Ikinya voiced her frustration with the police, stating, “As a normal Kenyan these days, what can you do? Go to the police station and again try to complain to the same people. We can’t be able to stop them. They can always do the same thing again. They can do that to anybody else.” She also raised concerns about her son’s mental well-being, noting the need for counseling following the traumatic event.
The incident, which occurred during protests over water scarcity and faulty electrical sockets, has provoked widespread outrage. Disturbing footage showed officers assaulting Mureithi, including one officer who was filmed dropping a detonated tear gas canister next to Mureithi, who was injured and unable to move.
University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rosebella Orangi Maranga distanced the institution from the police’s actions, saying, “We normally don’t allow them to come, but they found their way in.”
Students at Multimedia University have vowed to continue their demonstrations until those responsible for the assault on Mureithi are held accountable. A student leader declared, “Our demonstrations have not ended. It will only end when the police officers who injured Trevor are brought to book.” The call for solidarity extends to students from other universities, urging them to join in the fight for justice.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has initiated an investigation into the incident. In a statement, IPOA announced the deployment of a Rapid Response Team to the university to verify the authenticity of the widely circulated video and to address the reported assault by police officers.
