By Francis Orina
A police patrol base was set on fire in Nyamira North after a 19-year-old resident was shot dead on Tuesday.
Brian Arisa was reportedly shot dead by a police officer during demonstrations over the region’s deteriorating road infrastructure.
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The incident, which occurred amid nationwide unrest marking the 35th anniversary of Saba Saba, has sparked outrage and led to the torching of the Itibo Police Post by irate youth.
Some of the demonstrators were students of the Nyamira National Polytechnic, according to sources.
Eyewitnesses have claimed that Arisa was not part of the protest.
“He was just filming the events on his phone,” said Robert Motanya, a resident who witnessed the shooting.
“He wasn’t shouting or throwing stones. He was standing quietly, documenting what was happening.”
Arisa’s family, now shattered by the loss, described him as their pillar of hope.
“He was everything to us,” his mother said, her voice trembling.
“He took care of me when I was sick. He was our future.”
The shooting comes amid heightened tensions across the country, as this year’s Saba Saba commemorations have been marred by deadly confrontations between protesters and police.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, over 30 people were killed nationwide on July 7 alone, making it the deadliest Saba Saba since the protests began.
In response to the unrest in Nyamira North, Nyanza Regional Commissioner Florence Mworoa visited the area and ordered the indefinite closure of the Itibo Patrol Base.
Officers stationed there have been reassigned to Ekerenyo Police Station as investigations into the incident and the subsequent arson are launched.
Local leaders and civil society groups have condemned the killing, calling for accountability and justice.
“This is not just about one boy,” said a community elder.
“It’s about the continued disregard for life and the voices of the people.”
