The Kenyan newspapers on Friday, June 20, highlighted several significant national issues, including the tragic shooting of a young mask vendor, ongoing legal challenges regarding the legitimacy of a high-ranking political office, and extensive investigations into police misconduct, alongside concerns about county expenditure on foreign trips.

The plight of Boniface Kariuki, a 22-year-old mask vendor, garnered significant attention. Kariuki was shot by anti-riot police in Nairobi CBD on Tuesday, June 17. His mother, Susan Njeri, of Karugia village, Murang'a county, received the devastating news on Wednesday, June 18, learning that her "only son" was in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). She tearfully questioned why harm would come to him while he was simply doing his job. The family, unable to cover his medical expenses, appealed to the government and well-wishers for assistance, with Kariuki's father demanding accountability and justice for his son. On Thursday, June 19, Kariuki's condition sharply deteriorated, necessitating a second high-risk, four-hour surgery at KNH to remove bullet fragments still lodged in his skull. A relative, Eunice Kiragu, reported that while brain swelling was anticipated, doctors found "other complications." Following the procedure, Boniface was placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), critically dependent on life support machines. His distraught family continues to cling to hope while persistently demanding accountability from the authorities.

In legal news, the High Court is set to rule on Thursday, July 31, regarding the legitimacy of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's office. A three-judge panel comprising Justices Eric Ogola, Anthony Mrima, and Freda Mugambi fixed this date in response to applications from Kirinyaga woman representative Njeri Maina and MCA David Mathenge. These applications, submitted last year, contested the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The Court of Appeal had previously ruled on May 9, 2025, that the appointments of three judges to these cases were irregular and unlawful, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battle.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) also featured prominently in the news, continuing its investigations into police misconduct, particularly concerning the death of teacher-blogger Albert Ojwang. Abdirahaman Jibril, an assistant director of investigations at IPOA, was summoned to appear before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi on June 20. Jibril was required to explain the alleged use of OCS Samson Talaam's phone to solicit KSh 80,000 for a "financial emergency" from defense lawyer Cliff Ombeta. Talaam is currently in custody as a suspect in Ojwang's killing, and the issue was raised by Ombeta and fellow lawyers after Talaam's bond request was denied. Furthermore, IPOA reportedly grilled Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat concerning Ojwang's death. This came almost two weeks after a public outcry against Lagat, who was accused of ordering the blogger's torture while in custody for allegedly tarnishing his name. Lagat, who had previously shown a "contentious display of solidarity" with high-ranking officials, was questioned for hours about his involvement in Ojwang's arrest and murder.

Finally, a report from the Controller of Budget (CoB), Margaret Nyakang'o, revealed significant public expenditure on foreign trips by county governments. Thirty counties collectively spent over KSh 1 billion on international travel for job training, study tours, workshops, and conferences during the first nine months of the 2024/25 financial year. Nyakang'o questioned why these activities were not held within local towns and cities. Nairobi county topped the list with KSh 229.79 million spent, followed by Machakos (KSh 82 million), Lamu (KSh 76 million), Kitui (KSh 66 million), Mombasa (KSh 59.6 million), Nakuru (KSh 57 million), Nyeri (KSh 55.61 million), and Kisumu (KSh 51 million), highlighting a pattern of substantial spending on international travel by county officials.