Journalist Behind BBC Blood Parliament Exposé Dies

Nick Wambugu, one of the filmmakers behind the BBC Blood Parliament exposé, which highlighted police brutality during the Gen Z protest in 2024 against the Finance Bill when parliament was breached, has passed away.

Nick, who was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, for a hearing regarding the documentary alongside two others, died on the same morning, according to his lawyer Ian Mutiso.

His death was due to a rare disease, hypercellular MDS, a rare bone marrow disorder that prevents the body from producing sufficient blood cells.

He had been battling the condition for some time and had requested a medical fundraiser of Ksh 9 million.

The fundraiser was planned for Saturday, January 10, 2026, as a final effort before travelling for treatment.

Journalist Nick Wambugu Dies

Following his passing, friends, family, and members of the media fraternity sent messages of condolences.

Lawyer James Wa Njeri recalled the time he and other human rights lawyers bailed Nick Wambugu and three other filmmakers out of Muthaiga Police Station in May 2024.

“Here we are, with other human rights lawyers, when we went to bail Nick Wambugu and the three other filmmakers out of Muthaiga Police Station in May 2024. Rest in power, Nick Wambugu,” said the lawyer.

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Environmentalist Paula Kahumbu, a friend of the filmmaker, eulogized him as a hardworking person who loved his craft.

“I’m in disbelief to find out that we lost our precious Nick Wambugu Gichuki today. Nick was a friend, a fierce filmmaker who challenged everything, a gentle, joyful soul, too young, too, too young. Kenya has lost a gem. We were talking about making a film about butterflies… He spent the whole day just looking, watching, and asking questions. The camera hardly rolled; he was in such awe,” said Kahumbu.

A digital creator known as Castro Lion said that Nick Wambugu’s contribution to change cannot be erased.

“His work, courage, and voice will continue to inspire a generation of creatives and change-makers. Rest in power, Nick Wambugu,” said Castro.

Profile of the Journalist

Nick Wambugu was a narrative filmmaker with over nine years of experience crafting visually compelling stories.

He worked across directing, producing, and cinematography, collaborating with governments, NGOs, social enterprises, and TV broadcasters to tell impactful stories through both visual and audio media.

His documentaries and films spanned genres, including short films, corporate videos, and high-energy TV commercials.

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An alumnus of Cinemadamare Film Institute in Italy, Wambugu won a Kalasha Award in 2015 for Best Director in the Diaspora category for a short film. He also won Best Short Documentary at the 2018 Cinemadamare Film Festival for Demla, produced and directed in Sicily, Italy.

He was the drone operator for the Student Academy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated film Watu Wote (2017) and the drone pilot for the Sundance 2020 documentary Softie, which won the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Best Editing.

Wambugu worked on three feature films for the BBC Africa Eye series, including the documentary feature Street Dreams: Dancing to Survive, serving as producer and director.

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Photo of Filmmaker Nick Wambugu. PHOTO/Nick