Peninah Mueni, 66, and her daughter Faith, 30, are locked in a painful battle with depression, hypertension, and sleepless nights. Their grief over the loss of Benson Mbithi, a young man killed during the 2024 GenZ protests, is compounded by financial hardship and unanswered questions.
Faith’s anguished cries pierce the silence of their home. Clutching the shirt her brother last wore, she crumbles to the dirt floor, her body shaking under the weight of loss. “I know death is inevitable for everyone, but never did I imagine my brother would die so cruelly,” she says through tears. It has been ten months since Benson’s death, yet the memories remain vivid and raw. The unfinished house he was building on the family compound stands as a haunting reminder of his absence.
Benson, a matatu conductor, was shot by police during the protests on June 25. His death has devastated the family, leaving Peninah and Faith grappling with intense grief and deteriorating health. Faith describes Benson as hardworking and full of dreams, driven by the love of his mother, sisters, wife, and young daughter. “He was not just my brother but my best friend. We shared everything and leaned on each other. Now, who do I turn to?” Faith asks, her voice breaking.
The trauma has taken a severe toll. Faith has been diagnosed with ulcers, hypertension, and depression, and doctors have advised her to seek counselling. She struggles to shake the haunting images of her brother lying in the mortuary, riddled with nine bullet wounds. “He didn’t deserve such a death,” she says.
Peninah, a widow since 2022, is desperately trying to stay strong for Faith’s sake. She spends many nights medicated with sedatives to force sleep, crying out in the dark, pleading for answers. Her health has also declined; a few weeks after Benson’s death, she was diagnosed with hypertension and suffers from constant headaches and blurry vision. The family’s small sugarcane kiosk, once their source of income, is now shuttered. With counselling sessions costing Sh1,500 each, mental health support feels out of reach.
The impact of the protests on mental health has been profound and widespread. The June 2024 demonstrations marked a historic moment where Kenyan youth publicly demanded accountability from political leaders. However, the aftermath revealed a darker side. Many young people seem to have become emotionally numb, particularly on social media, where grief is often met with detachment or even mockery.
Experts explain that the trauma experienced during and after the protests can cause lasting changes in the brain. The hippocampus, responsible for memory, may shrink, making it difficult to process traumatic memories properly. The prefrontal cortex, which governs decision-making and emotional regulation, can also be impaired, leading to difficulty managing emotions. The amygdala, the brain’s alarm system, can become overactive, causing heightened anxiety and fear responses. These neurological changes help explain why survivors may display distorted narratives, unusual behaviour, or emotional detachment.
Peninah recalls the fateful day vividly. She had just finished supper and was watching the news about the protests when a phone call shattered her world. Instead of the usual check-in from her eldest daughter, she was told that Benson had been shot and was fighting for his life. Alongside Faith, she spent agonizing hours praying by his hospital bedside, only to receive the devastating news by dawn: Benson was dead.
At the mortuary, Peninah confronted the horror of her son’s body bearing multiple bullet wounds. Because of Benson’s recent conversion to Islam, his religious community insisted on an immediate burial, with no autopsy or delay. Fearful of the mounting costs, Peninah felt powerless and had to let the burial proceed quickly.
Since then, life has been a shadow of its former self. Peninah struggles to eat and rarely leaves home except for church, where she seeks solace. Faith’s grief is just as deep, and their family’s future feels uncertain and fragile.
Mental health professionals warn that urging survivors to “move on” too quickly can worsen their pain. Unprocessed grief may lead to anxiety, psychosis, or addiction. There is an urgent need to raise awareness about mental wellness and to connect trauma survivors with appropriate psychological support.
As the community marks mental wellness month, there is a call for society to offer understanding and compassion, rather than judgment, to families like Peninah’s and Faith’s. Their trauma may be invisible, but its scars run deep, demanding recognition and healing.
