Emmanuel Gigs Tata, a 20-year-old casualty during the anti-Finance Bill protests, died of asphyxia.
Postmortem has revealed the student at Meru Technical University inhaled tear gas, which caused him to lack oxygen and suffocated to death.
Tata, a Science Laboratory student, was waiting for a vehicle to head home at Mwembe Tayari on June 25.
Anti-tax demonstrations were scheduled in Mombasa on that day.
Teargas canisters were fired near him.
He inhaled a large amount of teargas, collapsed and was rushed to Al Farooq Hospital, where he was declared dead at 4:10pm, his cousin told the Star.
His family later transferred the body to Pandya Memorial Hospital where the postmortem was conducted by pathologist Ngali Mbuko on Monday.
Paul Tata said he wants justice for his son.
“He is my first born and only son. He was in Mombasa because he had come for fees,” Tata said.
The family representative, Daniel Nzamba, said the pathologist informed them that there was some bleeding in the lungs due to the teargas.
“Samples have been taken to the government chemist to establish exactly which chemical the boy inhaled,” Nzamba said.
He called for help with the burial and justice for the family.
“The family has invested in Tata’s education and losing the life in such a manner is really disheartening,” he said at Pandya Memorial Hospital, adding that a parent should never bury their child, it should be the other way round.
He urged the government to step down from its hardline stance and address the issues raised by Kenya’s young generation, which makes up 70 per cent of the population.
“Let us come to a flat and level ground,” Nzamba said.
The family accused the government of failing to handle the aggrieved young people appropriately.
Nzamba said the government should instill hope in its people and not despair.
“These are children who have lost hope. We ask that the rest of Kenya does not lose hope. We know that the government is capable of addressing these issues so that peace is found,” he said.
Muslims for Human Rights rapid response officer Francis Auma and his Haki Africa counterpart Mathias Shipeta said they will take legal action against the police and the government for Tata's death.
Speaking at the hospital after the three-hour postmortem, the human rights campaigners said the report was crucial for their intended lawsuit.
“This postmortem was important so as to enable us to seek justice for our boy,” Shipeta said.
He said the 20-year-old was key to his family’s well being because he used to help his father provide for them.
“It is sad that he has lost his life in such a manner. He was waiting for a vehicle to go to Mikindani and suddenly he was engulfed in tear gas, choking,” Shipeta said.
He called for calm from the family, friends and relatives.
Auma said no longer will police be allowed to take away innocent lives and fail to suffer the consequences.
“Apart from the postmortem, we are going to take legal action. We will not let this go,” he said.
Independent Police Oversight Authority officers, Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers, officers from the Independent Medico-Legal Unit were also present during the postmortem.
Muhuri director Khelef Khalifa said Kenya has lost a promising laboratory scientist.
Khalifa said the government should learn to respect life more than property.
“They have yet to learn the value of life. For police to use live ammunition while aiming directly at protestors, it means their aim is to kill. Why?”
