NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 19 — A postmortem examination has confirmed that 28-year-old Vincent Ayomo, who was shot during a political rally in Kitengela on Sunday, died from catastrophic head and spinal injuries caused by a single gunshot wound.
The autopsy, conducted at the Nairobi Funeral Home (City Mortuary) under the oversight of human rights organisation VOCAL Africa, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), and Ayomo’s family, established that the bullet entered through the left eye and exited at the back of the head, fracturing the skull and severing the spinal cord.
“As VOCAL Africa continues to follow up on the case of Vincent Ayomo, who was shot and killed in Kitengela last week, today, in partnership with the Law Society of Kenya and the family, we oversaw the postmortem exercise undertaken at the City Mortuary,” VOCAL Africa Chief Executive Officer Hussein Khalid said in a statement Thursday.
“According to the pathologist, the cause of death was a fractured skull and severed spinal cord resulting from a single gunshot that entered through the left eye and exited at the back of the head.”
Ayomo, a garage worker based in Kitengela, was fatally shot amid chaos during the rally, where police reportedly clashed with demonstrators.
Calls for accountability
His death has triggered sharp reactions from opposition leaders and human rights organisations, who have called for accountability and an independent investigation.
In a joint statement issued Monday, a section of leaders allied to ODM accused President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen of bearing “direct personal responsibility” for alleged police brutality during the unrest.
Siaya Governor James Orengo, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, and MPs Caleb Amisi and Richard Onyonka described the killing as “senseless and needless.”
“It has now been confirmed that one person lost their life in Kitengela yesterday. The police shot and killed 28-year-old Vincent Ayomo. This is another senseless and needless killing. We send our condolences to Vincent’s family and demand justice and accountability,” the leaders said.
They further stated that Ayomo had committed no crime and was peacefully exercising his constitutional right to assemble when he was shot.
“We express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of Vincent Ayomo. He tragically lost his life at the hands of those duty-bound to protect him,” the statement added.
The lawmakers also alleged “state-sponsored acts of violence” by police and hired individuals during the rally, which they said resulted in injuries and destruction of property.
Human rights organisations have called for an independent investigation into the shooting, amid mounting public pressure over the use of lethal force by security agencies.
At the time of publication, the government had not issued an official response to the allegations surrounding Ayomo’s death or the conduct of police during the Kitengela unrest.
The killing adds to growing scrutiny of police conduct during political protests, with oversight bodies and civil society groups urging strict adherence to constitutional protections, including the right to life and peaceful assembly.
