Eric Omondi Calls for Nationwide 'Mask Friday' in Kenya to Protest Police Brutality After Hawkers Death

Nairobi, Kenya – Comedian and activist Eric Omondi has called for a nationwide 'Mask Friday' in Kenya to protest against police brutality, following the alleged killing of Eli Joshua, a hawker. Omondi announced the initiative in a video, urging all Kenyans to wear medical masks this Friday in remembrance of Joshua, who he stated was shot at point-blank range by a police officer while selling masks. "Yesterday a comrade was shot at point-blank in broad daylight by a police officer. His name is Eli Joshua. He was a hawker, he was not armed, he was just hustling," Omondi stated in the video, holding up a bundle of blue masks. "This Friday we will be having Mask Friday. Wear a mask when you go to work, when you go to school, when you are in the market, anywhere. In Kisumu, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nyeri, Meru, all over the country, wear a mask." Omondi emphasized the disparity between the 56 million Kenyans and the fewer than 30,000 police officers, asserting, "It must reach a point where we say enough is enough." He encouraged citizens to tag him in their posts while wearing masks, promising to share them. "This is the only way we will celebrate our hero, Boniface (Eli Joshua). And to the Kenya Police Force, Boniface Kariuki or Eli Joshua will be the last that you brutally murder in broad daylight." The call to action aims to mobilize public opinion and demand accountability for the incident, highlighting a broader concern about police conduct in the country.