Youths Seize Body of Student Killed in Fuel Price Protests

Tension boiled over in Kakamega after youths seized the body of Derrick Machanje, protesting his death after being reportedly shot during demonstrations against fuel price hikes. The incident occurred on Friday after Machanje’s body was removed from Kakamega Mortuary early Thursday under heavy security for burial, sparking unrest among local youth. Viral footage showed boda boda and tuk-tuk riders racing through Kakamega town streets, following a motorcycle carrying Machanje’s coffin. Businesses in Kakamega town closed as chaos erupted over the student’s death, with residents holding a procession before his burial in Shinyalu. Machanje, known as “Mwala,” was a second-year mechanical engineering student at Sigalagala National Polytechnic who worked part-time as a tuk-tuk driver. Reports indicate the crowd that took his body comprised fellow students and tuk-tuk operators. Reports state Machanje was shot in the head during demonstrations on May 18 after police allegedly opened fire. His family discovered his death through social media before being directed to the mortuary, after initially searching for him at Kakamega County Referral Hospital. They alleged authorities performed a procedure to remove a bullet and stitched the wound without informing or seeking consent from relatives. The family has demanded justice, urging the government to provide explanations and take responsibility for what they describe as an avoidable loss of life. Kakamega residents have expressed anger, calling for accountability over both the killing and the . The case comes amid growing public outrage over fatalities reported during last week’s nationwide protests against rising fuel prices, which disrupted transport services. The demonstrations reportedly , some allegedly due to police action, prompting renewed calls for accountability from human rights groups.