As mourners gathered in Iyego, Kangema, to lay 22-year-old hawker Boniface Mwangi Kariuki to rest, a mother’s heartbreak echoed through the hills of Murang’a.

Susan Njeri, holding onto memories of her last phone call with her son, recalled how she had pleaded with him to stay away from the protests that were sweeping across Nairobi. What she thought was a routine conversation that morning now feels like a painful farewell.

“I called him on the morning of June 25 to ask for some money and told him not to go to the protests,” she said during a tribute at the burial.

“He asked to speak to his siblings, a gesture I now believe was his final goodbye. Little did we know you were saying goodbye to us.”

Boniface was shot at close range during the June 17 demonstrations in Nairobi and had remained in the intensive care unit at Kenyatta National Hospital until June 24. He succumbed to his injuries the following day, on Monday, at 3:15 pm, according to family spokesperson Emily Wanjira.

His father, Johna Kariuki, told mourners that from the day Boniface was born , August 28, 2002, he believed his son was destined for leadership. He spoke of a young man who not only carried the weight of his own dreams but also worked hard to support his siblings.

“I had such high hopes for you. I have a lot of pain in my heart, but I have to release you to rest, however difficult it is,” he said. “I’m trusting God to help bring to fruition the plans you and I made.”

Boniface’s life was rooted in responsibility and hope. He juggled hawking in the streets of Nairobi with caring for his younger siblings, and had planned to build a better home for them together with his father.

At the burial service led by Bishop Ben Kiengei of the Jesus Christ Compassionate Ministry (JCM), emotions ran high as he pledged to help the family finish what Boniface had started.

“This is an entire destiny that has come to an end,” Kiengei said. “He was working even during protests, trying to raise money to build a house for his siblings with his father.”

Kiengei urged hawkers at the funeral not to lose hope, despite the loss, and called on the President to listen to the voices of young people. He said genuine grievances must be heard and addressed with understanding and justice, not force.

He further appealed for legal action against those who infiltrate peaceful demonstrations with violence, and stressed the need for more youth empowerment and unity as a pathway to national development.

Boniface’s burial comes amid heightened calls for accountability in how security forces respond to protests. But for his family, the tragedy is personal — the pain of losing a son, a brother, and a dreamer whose life ended far too soon.