Two brothers die from injuries allegedly inflicted by police during anti-government protests

A family in Kisumu is mourning the deaths of two sons who died from injuries allegedly inflicted by police during anti-government protests two weeks ago.

Brian Oniango and William Amulele, both in their early 20s, died just three days apart while receiving treatment at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital’s intensive care unit.

Their mother, Everlyne Achung’o, says that Amulele died on Saturday night, while Oniang’o succumbed on Wednesday.

“The doctor said Brian had a cracked skull which caused his death, and when William died, the doctor told me he had a broken neck and cracked skull,” she said in an interview with Citizen TV.

Achung’o insists that her sons were not taking part in the demonstrations called by the Opposition Azimio to protest against the high cost of living and the controversial Finance Act, 2023.

The demonstrations, which were characterized by violent scenes in several parts of the country, were held between July 19-21.

The family has sent an emotional appeal to President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga, the two protagonists whose differences informed the mass protests.

“Let him (Ruto) not praise the police that they have done a good job, let him order for investigations,” the boys’ aunt Truphena Mboya said.

“And I call on Raila wherever he is to stop the protests because people’s children will continue losing their lives,” she added.

On Tuesday, Raila termed the alleged police brutality in Nyanza during anti-government demonstrations as ethnic profiling and cleansing.

The Opposition chief said in his address to international media that “they are targeting one particular community and that is not the route that we want Kenya to take”.

“They are targeting the Luos in Nyanza. That is why there is a disproportionate use of live bullets in areas like Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Siaya,” he claimed.

The Opposition, human rights organizations and foreign missions have condemned the police for using live bullets and disproportionate crowd control weapons like teargas and water cannons against demonstrators.

No official statistics have been released, but the Opposition claimed that at least 50 people were killed, although some rights groups said it’s roughly half the number.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki on Tuesday, July 25, issued a statement absolving police from alleged extrajudicial killings, saying the criminal acts were perpetrated using civilian guns and the blame shifted to the police.

“It has been established that licensed and unlicensed civilian firearms supplied by the masterminds of the recent violence were used to kill or injure civilians and security personnel, and the blame shifted to security officers,” he said.

The family of the two brothers is demanding justice and an independent investigation into their deaths.