Joseph Ndiang’ui
Killed during protests in Othaya
Joseph Ndiang’ui (c. 1997 – 25 June 2025) was a Kenyan youth from Othaya, Nyeri County, who was killed during the Gen Z-led protests on 25 June 2025. His death occurred amid a nationwide wave of demonstrations marking the first anniversary of the 2024 anti–Finance Bill protests.
Background
Joseph Ndiang’ui, aged 27 at the time of his death, was a resident of Othaya town in Nyeri County. He joined thousands of young Kenyans in demonstrating against economic inequality, state corruption, and police brutality during the nationwide protests organized by Kenya's Gen Z movement in June 2025.
Circumstances of Death
On 25 June 2025, while participating in the protests in Othaya, Ndiang’ui was fatally shot. According to a post-mortem examination conducted at Mwai Kibaki Funeral Home, he suffered a bullet wound that entered through his right side, grazed a rib, and exited through his chest. The injury resulted in severe internal bleeding, particularly in the lungs, which proved fatal.
He was one of four protesters reported killed in Nyeri County that day, and one of at least two from Othaya. His family, represented by spokesperson David Gitonga, confirmed the autopsy findings and called for justice and accountability from law enforcement authorities.
Aftermath
The killing of Joseph Ndiang’ui contributed to national outrage over the excessive use of force by police during the 2025 demonstrations. His death, along with others, prompted investigations by human rights organizations and demands for accountability by political leaders and civil society groups.
Legacy
Joseph Ndiang’ui’s name quickly became a symbol of youthful sacrifice in the struggle for justice and reform in Kenya. Friends and fellow activists remembered him as "gentle, hopeful, and unafraid to stand for what was right." His community in Othaya held candlelight vigils and prayer meetings in his honor.
His story was widely shared on social media, where he was remembered as one of the "fallen flowers" of the Gen Z movement. Memorial murals bearing his name and image appeared across Nyeri and Nairobi in the weeks following his death.
Tribute
🕊️ To Joseph,’’’
You stood tall, Joseph, even when the world bent low under the weight of injustice. You gave your voice, your breath, and your being so others could live freer. Your name will not be forgotten in the hills of Othaya nor in the streets of a rising Kenya.
We will never forget you brother. ✊🏾🖤