Chief Inspector Maina Who Lost Both Arms in Tear Gas Explosion Narrates His Agony

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Chief Inspector David Maina lost both arms in a tear gas accident during protests against the Finance Bill 2024 in Nairobi.
• Maina is receiving support and sympathies, including a Sh1 million pledge from Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, as he recovers and contemplates his future.

Chief Inspector David Maina has opened up about the life-altering accident that left him without both arms. 

The tear gas accident, which occurred during protests against the Finance Bill 2024, has profoundly impacted Maina’s life, leaving him uncertain about his future. 

Maina, currently recuperating at Nairobi West Hospital, was visited on Thursday, June 20, by Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua.

Mutua, who previously pledged Sh1 million to support the injured officer, expressed deep sympathy for Maina’s plight. 

“As we sit here today, Chief Inspector David Karuri Maina has lost both of his arms. Today he is a disabled person. He has been disabled in the line of duty by the protesters,” Mutua stated during the launch of the National Wildlife Census for 2024.

The accident occurred when a tear gas canister that Maina was handling exploded prematurely. 

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Part of a police contingent deployed to manage the protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), Maina suffered severe injuries as the canister detonated in his hands. 

The protests were organized by citizens opposing the Finance Bill 2024, which proposes new taxes and the removal of several tax exemptions, leading to widespread public dissent.

Reflecting on the accident, Maina expressed sadness about how things turned out and the unseen impact it will have on his three children.

“It’s a sad day that this happened as we were keeping calm in Nairobi. This one has changed my life a lot because there are so many things that I won’t be able to do. 

I also don’t know what I will tell my kids about this; I know they will be very shocked,” he said.

Doctors attending Maina have confirmed that the damage to his arms is irreparable, and he will require prosthetic limbs to perform daily activities. 

“He has lost both arms; there is no surgery or treatment that can heal him now,” said a doctor at Nairobi West Hospital. 

The impact of this accident extends beyond Maina’s physical injuries, affecting his emotional and psychological well-being as he contemplates how to face his family and children.