HEALTH DG CONFIRMS MASK VENDOR SURVIVES POLICE SHOOTING, UNDERGOES EMERGENCY SURGERY

Health Director General DR. Patrick Amoth has confirmed that the mask vendor shot by a police officer during Nairobi’s anti-police brutality protests is alive and undergoing treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. The victim, identified as Eli Joshua who was injured during Tuesday’s demonstrations demanding justice for the late blogger Albert Ojwang’, was rushed to KNH, where surgeons determined he needed an urgent neurosurgical operation.

Speaking to the media on the evening of June 17, 2025, at the Kenyatta National Hospital, the Health Director General clarified that the victim, is still alive dispelling earlier rumors that he had succumbed to his injuries. At the time he was speaking with the media on Tuesday night, the patient was already in theatre with the neurosurgical team. Amoth said that he would provide an appraisal of the patient’s tests based on the outcome of the surgical procedure and would keep the public updated.

Following the shooting incident, Inspector General of the National Police Service Douglas Kanja ordered the immediate arrest and arraignment of the involved officer. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with many Kenyans calling for accountability over the use of live ammunition during protests.