Twenty-two-year-old Boniface Kariuki, the hawker shot in the head during protests demanding the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat over the murder of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang, cannot survive without life support.

This was revealed on Monday by his family at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

Kariuki’s family spokesperson Emily Wanjira described his condition as grim, adding that he cannot see or talk.

“To be sincere, he can’t survive without life support. He cannot talk, he cannot see us,” Wanjira told a media briefing at the hospital.

The update came after a second high risk surgery was conducted by Neurosurgeons at KNH to remove bullet fragments lodged into the victims skull as the family revealed that some metal shards remain, posing a serious risk to his recovery.

The family said he was returned to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he is under 24-hour observation.

Further, they shared that his hospital bill has now climbed to Sh2.3 million.

Kariuki, who was the sole breadwinner, had initially incurred bills amounting to Sh1 million, but the cost has continued to rise sharply due to his intensive care needs.

His shooting has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of police conduct during crowd control operations.

Human rights organizations have criticized security forces for what they describe as excessive use of force during recent demonstrations.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has pledged that justice will be served to the family of the 22-year old man.

Last week, the Court allowed the detention of officers involved in the shooting of Kariuki after they were arraigned in Court.

The two, Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono, appeared at the Milimani Law Court, where the Court allowed their detention at the Capitol Hill Police Station for 15 days to allow the Independent policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

“The two will be remanded at the Capitol Hill Police station for fifteen days and appear for the mention on the 3rd of next month,” the Court directed.

Barasa and Kiprono, both attached to Kileleshwa Police Station, were deployed to manage the demonstrations when they shot the hawker along Moi Avenue.

Their arraignment came after they were interrogated by sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The injured 22-year-old hawker was saved by protesters and attended to by a team of first aiders in the CBD before being rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital.