Panga wielding Nakuru man daringly charges at police during demos over fatal shooting

Drama unfolded in Nakuru’s London Estate on Tuesday after a protester armed with a panga charged at a police officer during a tense standoff between security forces and demonstrators.

A video circulating online shows the man brandishing the weapon, dragging it on the ground, and signaling fellow protesters to push back against advancing police officers.

In response, an officer fired a teargas canister in his direction, but the man continued to approach, shouting “Endeni huko!” as the officer retreated to reload.

The dramatic scene sparked heated reactions online, with many netizens expressing outrage over escalating police-citizen tensions.

“The anger of Kenyans is mounting against those paid with their taxes to protect them,” commented John Wanjohi.

“People are so daring,” added Kipngetich Vin Stan.

The protests, now in their second day, were triggered by the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Duncan Nderitu, allegedly by a police officer.

According to reports, Nderitu was killed during an altercation when police attempted to arrest a suspected drug peddler in the area.

The confrontation reportedly turned chaotic as residents confronted the officers, prompting them to fire in the air to disperse the crowd.

Amid the commotion, one officer is said to have accidentally shot Nderitu in the head.

Nakuru County Police Commander Michael Mwaura confirmed that the situation escalated after suspects resisted arrest.

As investigations continue, ten junior police officers have been arrested and are being questioned by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

This incident comes amid growing scrutiny of police conduct, following the recent death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody.

A postmortem revealed that Ojwang died from severe head trauma, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries. Lead government pathologist Dr. Benard Midia ruled out suicide, stating that the injuries were caused by external force.

“There were serious injuries to the head. There were also features of neck compression and multiple soft tissue injuries spread across the body,” said Dr. Midia.

Authorities have launched separate investigations into both cases as calls mount for police accountability and justice for the victims.