Nairobi — Postmortem examinations have commenced in Embu County for two young men who were shot dead during violent clashes between police and residents protesting the deteriorating conditions at Ishiara Level 4 Hospital in Mbeere North on April 14.
The deceased, 21-year-old Patrick Kariuki Munene and 32-year-old Morris Mugo Njoka, were among residents who had joined demonstrations demanding urgent improvements in healthcare services at the facility.
The protests escalated into chaos after police moved in to disperse the crowds, resulting in fatal gunfire.
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Hussein Khalid, CEO of VOCAL Africa, confirmed that human rights observers were present during the postmortems.
"Today in Embu, the VOCAL Africa team is attending the postmortem of 21-year-old Patrick Kariuki Munene and 32-year-old Morris Mugo Njoka, who were both killed by police in Ishiara, Mbeere North last week," Khalid said on Monday.
"The two were protesting with others to demand better services at their local hospital when they met their untimely death by police bullets. No arrests have been made so far despite the officers involved being known," he added.
The demonstrations, which had disrupted transport and blocked key roads, turned deadly after residents clashed with police attempting to restore order.
Call for accountability
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots before panic spread through the crowd.
In an unprecedented act of defiance, grieving residents reportedly carried the bodies of the deceased to Ishiara Police Station, demanding accountability and immediate action against the officers involved.
The protests were driven by long-standing frustrations over the state of Ishiara Level 4 Hospital, which locals say suffers from severe understaffing, chronic shortages of medical supplies, and crumbling infrastructure.
Members of the County Assembly had recently described the facility as being in a "sorry state," raising renewed concerns over healthcare delivery in the region.
The incident has drawn sharp political reaction. Former Attorney General Justin Muturi condemned the killings, describing them as a painful reflection of governance and security failures.
He defended the residents' right to protest, arguing that their demands for better healthcare were legitimate and justified.
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Muturi also raised questions over reports that some officers involved may have been in plain clothes, calling for clarity on the chain of command and accountability for the operation.
He urged an independent and transparent investigation, insisting that those responsible must be held to account.
On April 15, the National Police Service (NPS) pledged full cooperation with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) in investigating the fatal shooting.
In a statement, NPS said it "commiserates with the families, friends and relatives" of the victims who died near Ishiara Level 4 Hospital on April 14, describing the loss of life as "regrettable."
