A video showing a woman being brutally assaulted has gone viral on social media, angering Kenyans. The 49-second clip shows a man pinning the victim to the ground, slapping, punching, pulling her hair, and kicking her. Audible voices in the undated video plead with the man, identified as Baba Wanja, to stop the savage attack. The incident reportedly occurred in the Kamakis area.
The video was reportedly recorded by the couple's house help, who feared being attacked as well. According to blogger Simon Mwangi Muthiora, the woman being beaten is a cousin of the woman who attempts to intervene and save her, but she was allegedly heavily inebriated. Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to act fast and arrest the perpetrator.
In an update, Muthiora disclosed that the police had arrested Baba Wanja and he was awaiting arraignment in court. The swift action by the police was influenced by public outcry and calls for his arrest. The incident has once again raised concerns about the safety of women in Kenya and the need for swift action against perpetrators of violence.
The incident occurred on September 28, 2026, and was widely reported on social media. Many Kenyans took to social media to express their outrage and call for Baba Wanja's arrest. The hashtag #JusticeForTheKamakisWoman trended on Twitter, with many users demanding that the police take swift action against the perpetrator.
In a separate case, a man named Eric Otieno, a Kenyan-American, died in police custody on September 18, 2026. Eric, known to friends as Jay, was arrested along with two companions as they left a nightclub. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation into the circumstances of his death.
A postmortem examination found no external injuries consistent with physical assault. Examiners established that Eric had underlying health conditions, including tuberculosis and a kidney-related illness. His family claims that he did not commit any offence when the police arrested him and that the officers on duty received warnings about his worsening condition but failed to respond urgently.
The police have urged the public to remain calm and assured them that they are working to ensure that justice is served in both cases. The incidents have highlighted the need for police to be more responsive to emergencies and to take swift action against perpetrators of violence.
Key points
- The police arrested Baba Wanja following public outcry over the viral video.
- Eric Otieno's family claims that police did not respond urgently to his worsening condition.
- The incidents have sparked conversations about safety and police response in Kenya.
