Student who set himself ablaze in Mombasa wanted to be an MP – mother
Rose Mineh and her son Robert Gituhu.
In a heart-wrenching revelation, the story of the late Robert Gituhu, a 28-year-old who tragically set himself ablaze in Mombasa County, has unveiled the layers of potential that his life held.
Known as a brilliant scholar who achieved an A- in his 2012 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, Gituhu’s aspirations and accomplishments paint a poignant picture of what might have been.
Gituhu, alias Kirobotoo, on August 17, 2023 set himself ablaze within Mombasa’s Central Business District (CBD). His act was a harrowing protest against the escalating cost of living, rallying scores of concerned residents to his side. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital later that same day.
His mother Rose Mineh recounted her efforts to understand the circumstances that led her son to Mombasa County.
Gituhu left home on August 12, 2023 without forewarning, leaving behind unanswered phone calls and a mother’s hopes for his safe return.
As the days passed, the family’s concern grew, eventually prompting them to initiate a social media campaign to locate their missing loved one.
Jackson Nkoidila, the family’s spokesperson, expressed a profound sense of loss, describing Gituhu as a bright individual with a promising future.
“When he never came back home…we decided to put up the poster, thinking something bad had happened to him,” Nkoidila told Nation. The family’s shock intensified when they discovered that the tragic incident in Mombasa was indeed Gituhu’s doing.
Despite his academic excellence, Gituhu grappled with job prospects.
At Kijabe High School he stood out for academic excellence, served as a prefect, and later ascending to deputy captain and then school captain. Even in his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), he achieved an impressive 400 marks. He pursued and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical and Production Engineering at the University of Eldoret.
In an exclusive interview with Nation, Ms Mineh said, “He was a very reserved person, responsible, obedient, hardworking, humble, and he always respected everyone as he grew up.”
Among his dreams, Gituhu harboured political ambitions. He envisioned a journey that involved working, gathering experience, and eventually entering politics.
“My son believed that he was a leader,” Ms Mineh shared. “He hoped that once he graduated, he could have secured a job, worked for some years before joining politics,” she said.
“Sadly, this did not happen. At times he could even ask me, ‘How will you feel when you wake up one day and realise I am a Member of Parliament? Or a Governor?’ To me, I knew that since he was a student leader, he felt like he could still walk on the same path.”
Tragically, those dreams were never realised. In a poignant reflection of his aspirations, Gituhu’s Facebook account, there was a post on August 14, 2023 that displayed an image of President William Ruto in a Kaunda suit.
He admired the politician’s appearance, branding it “sharp”, perhaps harbouring his own vision of a future in leadership.
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