Double Tragedy in Mwiki: Teen Girl Killed, Protester Shot Dead

The Mwiki area of Nairobi is reeling from the deaths of two 18-year-olds, Abby Wanjiku and Joshua Mwangi, whose lives were tragically cut short within hours of each other. 

Abby Wanjiku was found dead in her mother's home Thursday evening, the victim of a brutal assault that included rape and a fatal injury inflicted with a broken bottle. The discovery of her body sparked immediate outrage, with residents taking to the streets the following afternoon to demand justice and increased protection for young women in the community. The protests, initially peaceful, escalated as demonstrators burned tires and chanted slogans along Mwiki Road. 

The crowd grew in size, and tensions flared as police arrived to manage the unrest.

During the protests, Joshua Mwangi, an 18-year-old recent secondary school graduate, was fatally shot. Mwangi had been assisting his father as a conductor in a newly acquired matatu, an informal job he hoped would be the first step towards his adult life. Earlier that day, his father, Samuel Njihia, had urged him to stay away from the protests.

According to eyewitness accounts and CCTV footage reviewed by local reporters, the shooting occurred at approximately 3:45 pm near the Landmark Hotel. Video evidence shows a plainclothes officer firing a shot into the dispersing crowd before fleeing on a motorbike. Mwangi was rushed to Scion Medical Centre and later transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival due to a gunshot wound to the head.

"He was shot above the right eye," Mr. Njihia said. "The bullet didn't exit. It's still in his head." Speaking outside the clinic, Mr. Njihia expressed his grief, stating, "I don't want revenge. I want justice."

Police response has been cautious. Kasarani police boss Emmanuel Rono said, "There were protests during the day. It was not until late in the evening that we received the information. We have begun investigations. We are retrieving the CCTV footage to ascertain what exactly happened." 

The family has since been asked to record a statement as part of ongoing inquiries. Wanjiku's home, only a few meters from the site of Mwangi's shooting, is now filled with the stillness of a second loss. Her mother, a small-scale vendor selling smokies, found her daughter unresponsive the previous night. 

Wanjiku had recently enrolled in the Inua Jamii computer training program and was pursuing an interest in modelling. She had been preparing for the upcoming Mr. and Miss Kasarani competition, a symbol of her newfound self-confidence and aspirations.

"She had started to believe in herself," said her aunt, Esther Waithera. "She had big plans."