Postmortem Confirms Two Men Killed in Nembure Chaos Died From Gunshot Wounds

Postmortem examinations have confirmed that two young men who died during the chaos at Nembure Stadium in Embu County last week succumbed to gunshot wounds.

Boda boda operator Moses Munene, 30, and footballer Mike Lewis, 23, died during clashes between police and youths outside a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) meeting attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire.

The findings have intensified calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Police have said the confrontation erupted after youths attempted to gain access to a meeting restricted to invited delegates and UDA polling centre officials.

Munene died from gunshot wound to the head

The postmortem examination was conducted by government pathologist Rosemary Kamau of Embu Level Five Hospital and Dr Job Mwali, representing the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU).

According to the findings shared with the media, Munene suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.

The bullet entered and exited his head, causing extensive brain damage and fractures to the skull.

“We have concluded that the cause of death was severe head injury secondary to a single penetrating gunshot wound to the head,” Dr Rosemary said.

The bullet was not recovered because it passed through the body, leaving both an entry and an exit wound.

Lewis suffered fatal leg injury

Lewis sustained a single gunshot wound to his right leg, resulting in a compound fracture of the femur.

The injury caused severe bleeding, with a massive collection of blood outside the damaged blood vessels, known as a haematoma.

“The cause of death for Mike Lewis was severe haemorrhage secondary to compound right femur fracture as a result of a single penetrating gunshot wound,” Rosemary said.

As with Munene, no bullet was recovered from Lewis’s body because the projectile passed through, leaving entry and exit wounds.

Families demand justice

The postmortem findings have added weight to calls by the victims’ families for authorities to establish exactly how the two men were shot.

Relatives who witnessed the examinations expressed grief over the loss of their loved ones and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

The families maintained that Munene and Lewis were not involved in the confrontation and urged investigators to establish how they came to sustain the fatal injuries.

Munene, from Mutunduri in Manyatta Constituency, was reportedly on his way to work when the violence broke out.

Lewis, a footballer and college student, had gone to play football near Nembure when he was caught up in the clashes.

IPOA investigating deaths

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has opened investigations into the deaths.

The authority has said its investigators are recording statements from witnesses and examining police firearm-discharge records from the day of the violence.

IPOA Commissioner John Muchiri said the investigation would establish what happened and determine whether any officers used excessive force.

“We are waiting for the investigations report to be handed over to the ODPP so that we can take the matter from there to see whether there was excessive use of force by police. If we find any police to have used excessive force, then those responsible will be held accountable,” he said.

The investigation comes as questions continue to be raised about the conduct of security officers during the confrontation.

How the Nembure chaos unfolded

The violence erupted outside Nembure Stadium during a UDA meeting chaired by Deputy President Kindiki.

Police said youths attempted to force their way into the meeting, which had been restricted to invited delegates and party polling centre officials.

The confrontation escalated into running battles between the youths and police. Officers used tear gas as the violence spread around the stadium, while several vehicles were torched or damaged. Earlier reports indicated that six vehicles were burnt and three others vandalised.

The clashes also left several people injured, including police officers.

Witnesses reported that police fired live ammunition during the confrontation, while authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Calls for better crowd-control training

Human rights advocates have also called for greater accountability and improved police preparedness during political gatherings.

Vocal Africa human rights advocate Raskin Oyugi criticised the loss of young lives during political meetings and rallies and called for specialised crowd-control training for police officers.

He also urged IPOA to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.