Vocal Africa human rights defender Hussein Khalid, second from right, with the family of the late Peter Kimani Gitau, who was allegedly shot dead by police at Del Monte’s farm recently. Photo/Lawrence Ongaro
By Lawrence Ongaro
Human rights organisation Vocal Africa has called on Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to ensure that police officers adhere to the law when dealing with members of the public.
The organisation’s official, Hussein Khalid, was speaking on Tuesday, August 25, while seeking justice for 23-year-old Peter Kimani Gitau, who was allegedly shot by police after he was found inside a pineapple farm owned by Del Monte in Thika.
He was shot on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
According to Khalid, witnesses interviewed by the organisation claimed that the deceased was shot in the neck before being rushed to Kenol Hospital in Murang’a County. The incident occurred about a week ago.
Khalid further claimed that, in recent cases, some hospitals had been used to conceal the truth about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of suspects killed by police after they were taken to the facilities.
Family questions hospital report
“The family clearly states that when they arrived at the hospital, they were informed that the deceased had been shot in the neck. However, four officers later arrived at the hospital and held discussions with a doctor for about 20 minutes. The hospital records later indicated that the deceased had been cut in the neck with a sharp object,” explained one of the deceased’s relatives, Ms Kuria.
Khalid said many families had recently been denied justice after their loved ones were allegedly killed by police.
He also claimed that families seeking OB numbers at police stations were often denied the records without any clear explanation.
Esther Njeri Kuria, a relative of the deceased, said several young people who were with Gitau claimed that he had been shot in the neck from a distance.
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She said the family received news of his death at around 3am, forcing them to rush to Kenol Hospital where he had been taken.
“When we arrived at the hospital, we found our son being given oxygen while breathing heavily,” said Kuria.
She added that four police officers arrived at the hospital and held discussions with a doctor for about 20 minutes before the family was again informed that the deceased had been injured in the neck with a sharp object.
Shortly afterwards, the doctor called the family and informed them that their son had died.
Kuria said the family was then forced to look for a way to transfer the body to a mortuary at General Kago Mortuary, located at Thika Level 5 Hospital.
“As a family, we still maintain that our son was shot by police officers and we are calling for justice to be served,” said Kuria.
Trail of deaths
A resident of Makenji in Murang’a County, Francis Gichango Njuki, said Del Monte’s pineapple farm had been associated with incidents involving the deaths of young people for many years.
He said there was a need for extensive dialogue between Del Monte and communities from Makenji, Kabati and Kenol to address the circumstances surrounding the alleged killings of young people and ensure that human rights laws were respected.
Njuki said chiefs and local elders should take the lead in raising concerns over the welfare of young people living in rural areas.
“It would be wise for Del Monte to act quickly by selling pineapples to these young people at affordable prices and also providing them with employment opportunities so that they can avoid the many vices being witnessed,” he said.
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Another Kenol resident, Martha Kendi, said many young people from the area had faced difficulties involving Del Monte.
“It would be better to have dialogue between Del Monte and the entire community from Kenol and its surrounding areas to resolve this complicated matter,” said Kendi.
She said many young people had lost their lives at the Del Monte farm, a situation that had caused fear and anxiety among residents.
Kendi urged Del Monte to consider selling pineapples to young people at affordable prices and creating employment opportunities for some of them to help keep them away from crime and other social ills.
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