Activist Boniface Mwangi provided insight into his decision to share photos of a protestor who was fatally shot by a police officer during Thursday’s Reject Finance Bill protests.
Rex Kanyike Masai was allegedly shot by a police officer on Thursday evening and pronounced dead upon arrival at a local clinic. Mwangi, along with volunteers, assisted the victim’s family in moving Rex’s body to City Mortuary pending further investigations.
Mwangi took to his social media platforms to share photos of Rex’s deceased body, with permission from his parents, Chrispin Odawa and Gillian Munyao, who were present at the City Mortuary. The intent was to expose the actions of the police against unarmed protestors.
“I’m sharing pictures of 24-year-old Rex Kanyike lying in the morgue with consent from his parents, Chrispin Odawa, and Gillian Munyao who are standing over his body at the City mortuary. He was killed by the police this evening. They’re shocked and numb from the loss of their son,” he wrote on X.
However, the post generated mixed reactions, with some criticizing Mwangi for sharing such sensitive images, especially with the victim’s parents visible in the background.
Mwangi responded to the criticism by explaining the rationale behind his decision, drawing a parallel to historical cases like Emmett Till’s. He highlighted how Till’s mother, Mamie Till Mobley, chose to have an open casket funeral to reveal the brutality inflicted on her son and to raise awareness about racial violence.
“Let me take @jeanbrendah to school because of her tweet calling me sick for taking Rex’s photo in the morgue. There was a young man called Emmet Till who was kidnapped and murdered after was accused of whistling at a white woman,” Mwangi wrote. He emphasized that sharing Rex’s photos was intended to shed light on the reality of police violence and demand justice.
Mwangi further criticized the police for their alleged indifference and refusal to assist Rex after he was shot. “In Rex Kanyike’s pocket were his Identification Card, and phone. He wasn’t armed. He knew that Kenya Police harasses any young person who walks around without an ID. After the police shot him, his friend Alex, asked the police to help carry him, they told him ‘Wacha akufe!'”
Through his activism and social media presence, Mwangi continues to advocate for justice for Rex and calls attention to what he views as systemic issues within law enforcement.
