Residents of Shamata in Nyandarua County staged a dramatic protest on Wednesday, October 28, carrying a casket to Shamata Police Station to demand justice for a man identified as Gashema, who was allegedly murdered the previous week.
The protesters interrupted a burial ceremony and marched to the police station, seeking answers over the killing, which has sparked anger and renewed concerns about security in the area.
Footage from the protest showed hundreds of residents carrying placards and twigs while chanting as they approached the station. A section of the crowd carried a brown casket, reportedly containing the deceased’s body, in a demonstration aimed at compelling authorities to act.
George Mosh, one of the protesters, said residents had gathered to demand accountability and ensure the killing did not go unresolved.
“We have come here today to picket regarding the issue of one Gashema who was murdered in cold blood last week, and all we’re asking the government is that justice must be served,” Mosh said.
Protest erupts in Shamata
The decision to interrupt the burial and take the casket to Shamata Police Station highlighted residents’ frustration over the circumstances surrounding Gashema’s death.
Beyond demanding justice for the deceased, the protesters raised concerns about insecurity in the area, urging security agencies to take decisive action to protect residents.
The demonstrators reportedly remained outside the station for several hours, pressing officers to explain the progress of investigations into the killing.
Police eventually intervened to calm the situation. According to the account provided, the protest ended without reports of a violent confrontation.
Police identify four suspects
A police official at Shamata Police Station said investigators had launched a probe into the killing and established leads pointing to four suspects.
The official said police wanted community volunteers to help identify the suspects before proceeding to the next stage of the investigation.
“Investigations into this matter have already begun, and we have leads to four suspects. What we now want is community volunteers so that we can identify the suspects and move to the next stage of our investigations,” the police official said.
The mourners were subsequently urged to return and take the body to the mortuary as investigations continued.
Although investigators have identified four potential suspects, their identities and possible involvement have not been publicly established in the account provided. The ongoing probe is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding Gashema’s death and determine whether anyone will face criminal charges.
Nairobi mortuary incident
The Shamata protest recalls a separate incident at Nairobi’s City Mortuary on March 12, when a group of youths reportedly stormed the facility while demanding the release of the body of a friend who had died during flooding.
During that incident, the youths carried a casket outside while shouting the deceased’s name, only to discover that it was empty. They later returned to demand the correct remains from mortuary staff.
Although the two incidents involved different circumstances, both highlighted the strong emotions that can arise when communities demand answers following deaths.
In Shamata, residents are now looking to investigators to establish what happened to Gashema and ensure that anyone found responsible is held accountable through the law.
