A dramatic confrontation in Athi River, Machakos County, has gone viral after a man was filmed brandishing a gun and threatening to shoot his son-in-law during an argument.
In the now-trending and undated video, the visibly enraged father-in-law is seen pointing a firearm at the young man while onlookers plead with him to calm down. The tense exchange reportedly unfolded at Kinanie in Athi River after the young man visited the home, hoping to see his child.
According to the young man, he had been trying to reach his father-in-law without success and was now ready to leave peacefully after being denied access to his child.
"I called you yesterday twice, you did not pick my call. It is fine. I am leaving in peace. It is fine daddy; I am leaving in peace. Vile nimekuja na mmekataa nione mtoto, it is fine. Tumepigwa, tumeunderstand and it's fine, uchungu iko kila mahali," he said emotionally while seated inside a car.
Despite the young man's calm plea, the father-in-law, appearing agitated, ignored his words and instead pointed the gun at him.
"Mzee, mwache hii maneno yenu," the young man said, as several people nearby rushed to intervene, attempting to restrain the older man and defuse the situation.
The video has since ignited widespread outrage across social media platforms, with many Kenyans condemning the father-in-law's conduct and calling for justice.
Among those who reacted to the disturbing footage was Nairobi Chief Environment Officer Geoffrey Mosiria, who reposted the clip on Instagram and expressed his disapproval of the act.
"This is a deeply concerning and unfortunate incident. No matter the differences or personal disputes that may exist, it is completely unacceptable to threaten another person with a firearm," he stated.
Mosiria went on to reference Kenya's legal provisions regarding firearm use.
"The law is very clear on the proper handling and use of licensed firearms. According to the Firearms Act (Cap. 114, Laws of Kenya), it is an offense for any firearm holder to misuse or publicly display a weapon in a threatening or careless manner," Geoffrey asserted.
He further urged law enforcement agencies to take swift action.
"I therefore call upon the police and relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this incident, take appropriate action, and if necessary, disarm the individual involved to prevent any potential harm in the future," he wrote.
Online, Kenyans expressed mixed reactions, with some calling for justice while others urged caution before passing judgment.
Dr. Larry commented, "Threatening to kill section 223(1) punishable for up to 10 years in prison, this include written or verbal threat."
Another user, Chrispus, cautioned against making assumptions: "You cannot judge from such a short conversation. You never know the hell this guy had taken the old man's daughter through before it got here."
Nyegeh, on the other hand, offered advice to the young man, saying, "My advice to the young man is, 'ukiachwa, achika. Utakufa bure.' The in-laws appear hell-bent to protect their daughter, 'under whatever circumstances.'"