Residents of Gatwekera village in Kibera were on Friday treated to a bizarre scene when a group of mourners staged protest over the death of a young man allegedly killed by vigilantes.
The mourners say the young man was killed three weeks ago on suspicion that he was one of the thugs terrorising the community at night.
They marched with the casket from Kamukunji grounds to the Olympic Bus Stop expressing disappointment with the manner in which the ‘innocent’ man popularly known as Eduh was killed.
They laid the casket on the ground at Olympic bus stop to pay their last respects amidst commotions that temporarily paralysed traffic.
The situation was contained when the vehicle supposed to ferry the body to Kakamega arrived.
The man was allegedly attacked at night by a group of youth using machetes on his way home from a funeral in his neighbourhood at Gatwekera area in Sarang’ombe ward.
According to the mourners, Eduh had been a straightforward person who had no criminal records.
During the open security meeting at Kamukunji grounds on Friday, the managing director of Human Needs Project Ms Juliet Mmbone expressed remorse on behalf of those who knew Eduh who was a casual worker at the Project.
“If for any personal reason Eduh had done something wrong, I believe he should have been reported to the relevant authority for disciplinary actions rather than mercilessly killing him without trial. Mob justice is not the solution to the problem of insecurity in Kibera,” said Mmbone.
Kibera residents have asked police to offer protection to young men in the area, who they say are at risk.