On Thursday, August 17, a video of an identified man setting himself ablaze surfaced online.
The middle-aged man who was standing atop a concrete block near a petrol station around Mwembe Tayari in Mombasa was seen pouring on himself a suspected flammable substance before lighting it, thereby igniting the flames.
“We have already rushed him to Coast General Hospital where he is receiving treatment,” one of the police officers confirmed the incident.
Speculations later emerged that the man who was an engineering student burnt himself in protest of the harsh economic challenges facing millions of Kenyans.
Others claimed that the man was setting himself on fire because he had stolen some goods.
However, the man, who has since been identified as Robert Kioko, has spoken out on why he set himself ablaze.
In a recorded video, the man refuted claims that he was a thief.
Kioko, was heard complaining that the 2022 presidential poll was bungled, stressing that his preferred candidate Raila Odinga was rigged out.
“I’m not a thief, I have not stolen from anyone. I’m protesting because Raila’s victory (in the last presidential election) was stolen,” he kept shouting as he wriggled in pain when the onlookers questioned him.
In a report by The Star, Mombasa Urban OCPD Maxwell Agoro confirmed that the man had been rescued and rushed to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital where he is undergoing medication.
“We were called to that scene and rescued him. We are now waiting for a report to be finalized on what was the motive behind his decision to set himself ablaze,” he said.
Raila emerged second in hotly contested 2022 presidential elections after polling 6.9 million just 200k votes behind the now president William Ruto.
The former Prime Minister unsuccessfully protested the presidential results announced by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati at the Supreme Court of Kenya.
