- The shooting took place at about 7 pm along Moi Avenue.
- An aerial video captured the moment the victim was shot.
Image: HANDOUT
At least one person was Thursday evening reportedly shot and killed during the anti-Finance Bill protest in Nairobi.
Police said they are investigating the circumstances under which Rex Kanyike Masai, 29, was shot and killed.
The shooting took place at about 7 pm along Moi Avenue.
An aerial video captured the moment the victim was shot.
A group of protesters had been pushed by police from parts of Kenyatta Avenue, City Hall Way and other places they had gathered to air their opposition to the Bill when they gathered outside Moi Avenue.
They started to dance to music that came from a club at the site.
Witnesses claimed it was then that a cop in a cap and plain clothes emerged and started to shoot at the group while dispersing them.
Rex was hit in the leg and fell on the road crying for help.
Other protesters stopped for help and rushed him to Bliss Hospital Moi Avenue where he was pronounced dead while being attended to.
Officials at the clinic said a patient was brought into the facility by members of the public while unconscious with an injury on the thigh of his left leg but succumbed to the same while undergoing treatment.
The body was moved to the mortuary pending an autopsy.
His parents were called to the mortuary and were joined by other protesters later in the night.
They expressed shock at the fatal shooting saying their son was a humble gentleman.
“This is a shock that will take long to handle. He was a harmless gentleman,” said one of the parents.
Police had earlier engaged the groups in a cat-and-mouse game as they kept Parliament Square safe for the legislators to debate on the Bill.
A group managed to access and stoned six cars at the Parliament parking before they were dispersed.
One police officer was admitted to hospital with a hip injury after he fell as he escaped from the crowd.
Similar protests took place in several urban areas in the country.
Police said they were peaceful.
Protesters have promised to be back next Tuesday for more protests.
On Thursday, the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome said protesters will not be permitted to access critical government infrastructure or disrupt ongoing parliamentary proceedings as the occupy parliament protests intensify.
He said Thursday that while protesters' right to assemble would be respected, they would not be permitted to violate critical infrastructure.
Despite the protests, the Finance Bill, 2024 passed the second reading stage with 204 MPs voting to approve it against 115 who rejected it.
There were no abstentions.
MPs voted by acclamation as opposed to secret ballot.
The vote came upon the conclusion of debate clause by clause based on the report by the Finance Committee.
The Bill now proceeds to the Committee of the whole House for consideration of proposed amendments.
The Committee is comprised of the whole membership of the National Assembly.
"Members, the matter of the Finance Bill are now over, we wait for the committee of the whole, those who have amendments to file, clerk and his team will process those amendments," Speaker Wetangu'la said.