Hope as Kenyans On X Raise Over Sh2 Million for Slain Protesters Rex, Evans’ Burial Expenses

A section of Kenyans raised more than Sh2 million in less than eight hours aimed at covering the burial expenses of both Rex Kanyike and Evans Kiratu.

The two succumbed to injuries sustained during the Thursday Occupy Parliament protests.

Rex was shot and killed by police as the protests on Thursday evening while Evans was hit by a teargas canister and died hours later.

This prompted Kenyans and other friends on X to rally together to accord the two men a decent sendoff.

Police say they are investigating the incidents.

This came a day after an X ‘space’ galvanized the nation and ramped up online activism.

Led by X personality Kimuzi, and in collaboration with Osama Otero and Hanifa Adan, a team quickly came together to organise a fundraiser for the two victims, quickly setting up an M-CHANGA fundraiser early Sunday morning.

They shared the fundraiser’s link, stating “Our Brothers Rex and Evans | M-CHANGA. This is the link. I will send all the funds in my Mpesa here that was contributed. The goal is 2M. We can do this. It will be shared by both families.”

And within a short while Kenyans of goodwill started sending in their contributions, many sharing screenshots of their participation in order to encourage others to follow suit.

Another X space specifically dedicated to the fallen protesters was launched asking all the listeners to all chip in as little as Sh10 driving the fundraiser a notch higher.

More than hours later, Kimuzi updated Kenyans on the status of the fundraiser, proudly announcing that the target had been met – it, in fact, crossed the target by hundreds of thousands of shillings.

“8 hours later, tuko 2M. This week, nimekuwa happy, for the first time as a Kenyan. You can kill a liberator, but will never kill the incoming libération!” he tweeted.

“WE MADE IT!! THANK YOU, THANK You. We are unstoppable. We are a movement, Ruto can’t stop this. Unlike Sudi, we’ve done this together!”

These are part of efforts by the leading figures to encourage Kenyans to oppose what they see as punitive proposed tax laws.

Some Kenyans on X are making elaborate plans to attend Rex and Evans’ burials in big numbers.

The government is planning how to counter the protests. Insiders are blaming a lack of communication for the situation and have been planning to counter the drive so far.