Eric Shieni

Eric Kayioni Shieni (c. 1997 – 18 June 2024) was a Kenyan finance student and activist who was fatally shot during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests in Nairobi. He became one of the symbols of the Gen Z-led movement against government overreach and police brutality in Kenya.

Early Life and Education

Eric was a 27-year-old Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and finance student at the University of Nairobi. He aspired to become Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, a role he hoped to use to fight corruption and reform public finance in the country.

Death during Protests

Eric was shot and killed on 18 June 2024, during demonstrations against the 2024 Finance Bill. He was among a group of peaceful protesters outside the Parliament buildings in Nairobi.

According to a BBC Africa Eye investigation, Eric was shot in the back of the head by a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier approximately 25 meters away. The footage and forensic reconstruction in the documentary titled Blood Parliament confirmed he had his hands raised and was unarmed when shot. A post-mortem revealed the bullet had ruptured his brain, killing him instantly.

Eric was one of three protestors shot and killed near Parliament that day, alongside Erickson Kyalo Mutisya and David Chege.

Funeral and Tributes

Eric was buried on 3 July 2024 in his home village of Olulunga, Narok South. Thousands attended his funeral to mourn and honor his sacrifice.

Mourners described him as:

"A warrior of truth."
"A brilliant mind lost to state brutality."
"A hero of the youth."

Friends, family, and public figures paid tribute to his life, describing him as peaceful, visionary, and committed to justice. University colleagues remembered his dream of becoming the Treasury CS to fix the very system that failed him.

Legal and Investigative Status

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) included Eric Shieni in its official list of protesters fatally shot during the demonstrations on 25 June 2024. His case remains under active investigation, with civil society groups demanding justice and accountability from security forces, particularly the KDF.

The BBC’s investigation identified the shooter as a uniformed KDF soldier, sparking debate about the military’s role in civilian protests. As of July 2025, no prosecutions had taken place.

Legacy

Eric’s death, alongside others, intensified public outrage over state violence and taxation policies. His name became a rallying cry in the Gen Z movement’s call for democratic reform, government accountability, and protection of human rights.

His story is memorialized in songs, murals, placards, and digital tributes across Kenya.

Tribute

🕊️ To Eric,

You were more than a finance student—you were the embodiment of youthful dreams and patriotic hope.

When the Finance Bill threatened the future of ordinary Kenyans, you protested not for yourself, but for a promise of integrity and fairness in governance.

Shot in the back of the head, hands raised, unarmed, you were silenced by tragedy. Yet you were already beyond fear, walking firmly across the grounds of change.

Buried in Olulunga, we remember you as a hero. Mourners called you a "warrior," and eulogized your ambition, your brilliance, and your quiet resolve.

Your death was not in vain. Your name now echoes in every chant for justice, every mural painted on city walls, every placard raised in protest.

You traded your future, but you ignited a movement.

Rest, Eric. We carry your name, your dream, and your flame.

Forever honored. Forever remembered.