Activist and human rights defender Boniface Mwangi has revealed that he treats every meal he takes ahead of any protest he participates in as his last.
In a video on X posted Monday, Mwangi said in the accompanying caption that he hasn’t had sufficient rest since the inaugural Occupy Parliament protests which have somewhat since morphed into a national movement for change.
“This video was shot a week ago ahead of #OccupyParliament protests. My wife and her sister were in the streets with us,” Mwangi said.
In the video, he was enjoying a meal with his family as they recorded skits with Mwangi commenting that his wife “cut the video too soon”.
“Every meal l eat before l head to a protest is my last supper. I haven’t slept well in weeks but the struggle is stronger than sleep,” he said.
Mwangi was a key organiser of the Occupy Parliament protests on the twin Tuesdays of June 18 and 25, the latter of which saw youthful protesters make real their threat to ‘occupy Parliament’.
He said he was first to raise the alarm during the June 25 protests that goons who were out to cause destruction had infiltrated the peaceful march.
A group of youth outran police barricades and stormed Parliament prompting police to respond to carnage with bullets.
In his address later at night, President William Ruto acknowledged that the protests were peaceful until criminals infiltrated and engaged in “treasonous” acts, a crime he said would not go unpunished.
The exact number of the protesters who were shot dead is conflicting President William Ruto said on Sunday during a media roundtable at State House that the exact number was 19.
Ahead of Thursday’s protests, Mwangi was at the forefront in discouraging the idea of marching to State House saying it would defeat the whole idea of holding members of Parliament accountable.
In a separate post on X later on Monday, he said he will be present during Tuesday’s round of demonstrations to Parliament.
“I know tomorrow l will be in the streets. I was there last week. I made it to the precincts of Parliament when police opened fire on unarmed protestors. The innocent lives were cut short by police. If you can't be in the streets with us, stay home in solidarity,” he said.
