The inquest into the death of Rex Masai resumed this week as his close friend, George Ndikas, took the witness stand to recount the harrowing final moments of the young protester’s life.
Ndikas described a day that began with unremarkable routines. He recalled leaving work and heading home, where he found Rex busy cleaning. Later that afternoon, the two friends traveled from High Rise to the city center, where they joined a growing crowd of young people demonstrating against the Finance Bill.
According to Ndikas, the pair maintained a cautious distance from the heart of the action. He told the court that they stayed toward the back of the group to observe the scene rather than pushing to the front lines. Rex, he noted, spent much of his time simply watching and occasionally recording videos on his phone, insisting that they were not causing any trouble.
The atmosphere shifted abruptly when police moved in to disperse the gathering using teargas. Ndikas described a scene of sudden chaos as protesters scattered in every direction. Within moments, the distance between the police and the crowd vanished, and the sound of gunshots echoed through the streets.
The courtroom fell silent as Ndikas paused, visibly moved while remembering the last words Rex spoke to him just before the situation turned fatal.
Rex had grown concerned about the possibility of the two getting separated in the panic. He asked what they should do if they lost each other, to which Ndikas replied that they should both simply head home.
“Rex aliniuliza tukipoteleana tutapatana aje, nikamwambia Mimi nitamfuata nyuma yeye akimbie,” he testified, recalling how he promised to follow behind if Rex ran ahead.
The situation turned dire only seconds later when Ndikas noticed his friend began to limp. He rushed to Rex’s side to check on him, and the young man shared a chilling realization: he believed a bullet had hit him. Despite the injury, Rex attempted to keep moving to escape the surrounding chaos, but his strength faded with every step.
Ndikas described a heartbreaking scene as Rex grew progressively weaker and struggled to stay upright. Though his friend tried to offer words of encouragement and suggested they find a way to a hospital, the overwhelming fear and confusion of the moment made every action difficult.
The gravity of the injury became clear when Rex showed him the wound on his leg, which was bleeding profusely.
“I saw him limping infront of me, I came close and asked him nini mbaya? Rex told me nikama ameshootiwa,” the court heard.
A stranger stepped in to assist after George explained the situation, and together they desperately sought help, even appealing to the police for aid. As more bystanders joined the effort, they lifted Rex and carried him toward a nearby hospital.
However, they arrived to find the facility’s gates locked. George informed the court of their mounting panic as they realized time was slipping away. Driven by desperation, the group forced their way into the hospital grounds, clinging to the hope that medical intervention could still save him.
By the time a doctor finally attended to him, Rex had already passed away. George noted that he had already contacted Rex’s family and friends to deliver the news before police arrived to coordinate moving the body to the morgue.
In his concluding testimony, he recalled seeing various officers patrolling the streets that day – some in full uniform and others in plain clothes – all of them armed.
