Lower thirds:

00:02 Report by Sella Oneko
00:33 Chrispine Odawa | Father of Rex Masai
00:48 Gillian Munyao | Mother of Rex Masai
01:19 Boniface Mwangi | Rights activist
02:13 Ahmed Issack Hassan | IPOA, independent police watchdog
02:50 Boniface Mwangi | Rights activist
03:32 Gillian Munyao | Mother of Rex Masai

Script:

0:02
Young Kenyans are protesting on the streets again. And once more, they’re angry at the death of one of their own - they say, at the hands of the authorities. This time, it’s Albert Ojwang’s name they’re calling. He was a teacher and a blogger, who was arrested for publishing supposedly false claims about the deputy police chief, and found dead in his police cell. 

0:22 
Watching Ojwang’s father on TV is a horror for Gillian Munyao and Chrispine Odawa. Their son Rex was shot and killed at a protest a year ago. 

0:33
Chrispine Odawa - His son Rex Masai was killed last year
Sometimes I watch what is going on on TV. My tears always comes.

0:47
Gillian Munyao - Mother of Rex Masai
It's so painful that we are trying to heal. Then come another bombshell of Ojwang. 

0:51
Rex  Masai Kanyike was the first person to die during last year's so-called GenZ protests against a controversial finance bill. 
Local media outlets showed CCTV footage of a crowd running from the police, and a man, thought to be a plain-clothes officer, shooting a handgun. 

Rex’s parents show us where he died.

1:11
Gillian Munyao and Chrispine Odawa
We could trace the blood from where he was shot. Then some, where they were crossing the road. 

1:20
Boniface Mwangi, a prominent activist, arrived at the clinic that evening and found Rex's family and friends standing over his body. 

1:28
Boniface Mwangi - Rights activist
It unlocked emotions that I've never had before. And then we had to be there for the family. We organised a fundraiser for the family, and we thought Rex was the first and the last person to be shot. And then a couple of days later, on June 25th, the government killed more people. 

1:48
Rex’s death became integrated into the protests. They grew, and eventually people stormed the parliament building. That’s when security forces fired on them. 

Kenya’s police watchdog, IPOA  is investigating 60 deaths and 233 injuries, connected to police conduct during the 2024 protests. 

Criticized for being ineffective and intransparent, IPOA says the police often do not cooperate. 

2:12
Ahmed Issack Hassan - IPOA, independent police watchdog
For instance, an incident in a police station, or there is a demonstration in a county or somewhere and someone is killed. 
Who was issued which gun? These are very basic information you require before you even start investigations. 
We have had a number of issues with the police regarding cooperation. 

2:33
There are SOME signs of consequences. 

Six men, including 3 police officers are now facing murder charges in connection with Albert Ojwang’s death, and Kenya's deputy police chief has stepped aside while an investigation is underway. 

But the violence is not stopping. During protests against Ojwang’s death, DW cameras caught the shooting of a young vendor in the head on video. Two police officers were arrested as a result. 

2:59
Boniface Mwangi: Rights activist
The police officer who did that shooting was masking his face. That’s even illegal. So a lot of illegalities. So as a protester, you have to know that when you go to the streets, you have to deal with goons, militia, police officers disguised in goons clothes or civilian clothes. 

3:22
The National Police Service denies working with such groups. 
Rex’s case is one of only two of the 60 deaths from last year to make it to an official inquest in court. Rex's parents and other families had hoped for police support to commemorate the anniversary of last year’s deaths.  

3:41
Gillian Munyao - Rex Masai’s mother
We want to plant flowers for our fallen heroes. We want to have prayers for our kids to mark that one year down the line. // Are we supposed to keep quiet

3:55
Rex’s mother says she”s not going to keep quiet and has vowed to march for justice for him and the others. 

TE: 4:01
BE 4:04