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A postmortem examination has confirmed that 17-year-old student Sylvester Muigai Ndung’u died from a single gunshot wound to the head during protests in Nanyuki against a proposed Ebola quarantine facility, reigniting public anger and calls for accountability over police conduct during demonstrations.

Government pathologist Dr. Peter Ndegwa, who conducted the examination, said the bullet entered above the left eye, travelled through the brain and lodged at the back of the skull, causing fatal injuries.

“The cause of death is head injuries due to a single gunshot, which got lodged there. There was a lot of bleeding in the brain and extensive destruction as the bullet moved through,” said Dr. Ndegwa.

He added that the projectile did not exit the skull and was recovered during the autopsy before being handed over to investigators for ballistic analysis. While he suggested the bullet appeared to have been fired from a pistol, he said final conclusions would depend on forensic examination.

“It looks like from a pistol, not a very high-calibre thing. I’m not very good at ballistics, but that’s my guess,” he said.

The findings come amid conflicting accounts over the circumstances of the teenager’s death during the unrest, which erupted after  residents protested against the planned isolation facility. Witnesses had earlier alleged that he was shot during confrontations with police, while initial police suggestions reportedly attributed his injuries to a tear gas canister.

Muigai was reported missing after leaving home to collect his school uniform from an aunt. His mother, Lucy Kagure, later identified his body at the Nanyuki mortuary, where it had initially been recorded as an unidentified male.

“When I went to the police, I was told it was a stone. It was not a stone. What was removed from my child’s head was a bullet,” said Kagure, her voice breaking as she recounted the moment she learned of his death.

The protests, which began as a planned peaceful march to present a petition, turned chaotic after police blocked access to the proposed site. Demonstrators responded by erecting roadblocks and lighting bonfires, prompting officers to disperse crowds using tear gas and water cannons.

At least three people are reported to have died during the unrest linked to opposition to the proposed Ebola facility, with human rights organisations raising concerns over excessive use of force.

“The right to protest is a constitutional right and the work of the police should be to provide security to protesters, not to be insecurity,” said human rights activist Brian Olang’. “What we are asking for is that the officers who were on duty that day should be prosecuted.”

The National Police Service has defended its actions, saying it is pursuing reforms and retraining officers to better manage public demonstrations. Inspector General Douglas Kanja said efforts were underway to address gaps between constitutional expectations and operational realities on the ground.

President William Ruto has also acknowledged concerns over police conduct and called for reforms.

“Reforms and training manuals that reshape how our police service manages public demonstrations, ensuring professionalism, restraint, accountability and respect for constitutional rights,” he said.

Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount for independent investigations into the Nanyuki shooting, with human rights groups insisting that compensation alone is not enough without prosecutions and full accountability.

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