Now the families of the victims are demanding justice and a probe into the killings of George Njuguna Kamau, Joseph Kiarie Kibuchi, and Grace Nyariri. The pain and grief are still felt all over Kenya following the death of at least 12 people during nationwide protests on May 18, 2026, over the rise in fuel prices and cost of living.
In Dagoretti South, the family of 32-year-old boda boda rider George Njuguna Kamau says he was not part of the protests when a bullet hit him in the chest. George Njuguna Kamau left behind a pregnant wife and a young child.
His widow, Grace Nyariri, said they had recently celebrated news of her pregnancy.
“Now my children will grow up without their father,” she said.
In Githurai 44, relatives mourned Joseph Kiarie Kibuchi, who died while returning home after paying school fees for his child. Witnesses claimed armed people in an unmarked vehicle shot him during the unrest.
At Kenyatta National Hospital, Dennis Kwayumba is mourning his wife, Prudence Imali, who reportedly died after gunmen shot her near Roysambu.
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Human rights groups, including Vocal Africa and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, have called for independent investigations and asked the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to speed up the investigation into the shootings.
The protests erupted after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority increased petrol prices by KSh 16.65 and diesel by KSh 46.29 per litre on May 14, 2026.
On May 19, 2026, the Transport Sector Alliance postponed further protests for seven days to allow negotiations with the government over fuel prices and transport costs.
