Youth leaders from the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) have strongly condemned what they describe as a rising wave of police brutality and state violence, following a series of protests that have rocked the country over the past week.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the DCP Youth League expressed deep concern over the shooting of Boniface Kariuki Mwangi, a young entrepreneur who was shot at close range by police on Tuesday during protests in Nairobi's CBD. Kariuki is currently in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit at Kenyatta National Hospital.

“This was a peaceful protest protected under Article 37 of the Constitution,” said Wanjiku Thiga, National Youth Leader of the DCP. “Instead of engaging citizens with dignity, we are witnessing a terrifying escalation where unarmed Kenyans are met with bullets and brutality.”

The group described the incident as an attempted murder and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all the officers involved in the chaos. They also cited the recent killing of protester Albert Ojwang as further evidence of a worrying trend in how law enforcement handles public demonstrations.

The leaders also called for accountability from Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja over the destruction of property and businesses witnessed in Nairobi during the recent protests.

The statement also called for a public and independent investigation into all recent incidents of police brutality and urged the government to offer compensation to families and business owners affected by the violence.

In a pointed message to President William Ruto, the youth leaders emphasised that constitutional rights cannot be ignored. “You cannot wash your hands off this. Nairobi is bleeding under your silence. This movement will not die. We will not forget. We will not be silenced,” they concluded.