The family of 20-year-old Jackline Nyawira from Kirinyaga County is pleading with the government to intervene following delays in conducting a postmortem, preventing them from burying their daughter who was fatally shot during the recent Saba Saba protests in Githurai, Nairobi.
According to her father, Jephita Njagi Kariuki, police confusion has stalled the process. “I want to bury my daughter, but her body is still at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital mortuary because police are taking us round in circles,” he said. He recounted being sent back and forth between Githurai 44 and Kasarani police stations without any progress.
Nyawira’s mother, Purity Nyawira, said her daughter had been employed at a cyber café in Githurai 44, though the business remained closed on the day of the protests. “Her employer told us that she was shot while standing at the balcony of her flat,” she said.
Community members from Mukithi and nearby villages in Kanyekiine ward, led by local leader Jesse Muthike, expressed their frustration and called on authorities and elected leaders to intervene and expedite the postmortem process. “We are still waiting for communication from police in Nairobi so we can proceed with the burial arrangements,” Muthike stated during a Friday night meeting.
As the family and community continue to mourn, they are urging the government to ensure accountability and provide closure by facilitating a timely and transparent investigation into the tragic death of Jackline Nyawira.
