The Reason Cop Shakur is Disappointed with Iyanii’s Association with President Ruto

Jackson Kuria Kihara, a former prison officer who has transitioned into human rights activism, has sparked a public debate following a critical social media post.

Kuria, known to his followers as @cop_shakur, recently used his platform to call out Kenyan musician Iyanii. The activist took issue with Iyanii’s decision to perform for President William Ruto during the 2025 Jamhuri Day celebrations.

Music and "Sanitisation"

The sight of Iyanii performing for the President was a turning point for Kuria. He accused the "Donjo Maber" hitmaker of using his celebrity status to help "sanitise a brutal regime."

By performing at a state-sanctioned event, Kuria argues that Iyanii is helping the public forget the violence of the previous months.

"What broke me even further was seeing Iyanii perform for the president, the same man who ordered the killing of Kenyans. With the influence he has, he is helping sanitize a brutal regime,” Kuria said.

Kuria believes the responsibility for the lives lost lies directly with the President. He argued that while the cameras and celebrations have moved on, the families of the victims remain in a state of mourning.

A Plea for Justice

The activist expressed concern that the narrative is being shifted to make Kenyans forget what happened. He pointed out that for many families, the pain did not end when the media coverage of the protests stopped.

To date, Kuria maintains that no justice has been served for those killed. He concluded his post by stating that he continues to pray for a day when accountability is finally achieved.

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“Slowly, Kenyans are being made to forget what was done to us.

Meanwhile, the families of the victims are still suffering. They are still grieving. Their pain did not end when the cameras left.”

Witness to Tragedy

Kuria’s criticism is rooted in his personal experiences over the last year. He shared that he fell into a deep depression and felt mentally and emotionally broken after witnessing the results of state-led violence.

The activist described a harrowing visit to a morgue where he saw the bodies of individuals he claims were brutally killed on orders from the state.

These deaths followed a series of postmortem examinations that Kuria says confirmed the nature of the fatalities. Throughout the 2024 protests, he attended numerous funerals for victims of police brutality. These were events he insists should never have taken place.

"For the first time in my life, I walked into a morgue and saw bodies, people who had been brutally killed on orders from the state, after postmortem examinations were conducted,” he said.

The Roysambu Incident

One particular case highlighted by Kuria involved the burial of a 17-year-old boy. The teenager was reportedly shot dead in Roysambu during the height of the 2024 demonstrations. Kuria expressed a profound sense of "helplessness" regarding the incident.

Kuria noted that he was among the activists who encouraged citizens to take to the streets to demand justice. However, he claims that instead of addressing these grievances, the President responded with even more force.