Demonstrations kill more people in Kenya
(MENAFN) At least 11 people have lost their lives and dozens more, including police officers, have been injured during a new wave of anti-government protests across Kenya, police officials confirmed on Monday.
The demonstrations coincided with the 35th anniversary of Saba Saba (“Seven Seven”), commemorating the July 7, 1990 uprising against single-party rule, now observed as a national day of resistance against political repression and economic inequality.
In a statement issued late Monday, the National Police Service (NPS) reported that 63 people were injured during the protests—52 of them police officers and 11 civilians. Authorities claimed the protests were infiltrated by “criminal elements,” leading to violence and destruction.
According to police, 19 vehicles were damaged, including 12 police units, three from government departments, and four privately owned. A total of 567 protesters were arrested. The NPS commended its officers for what it described as “remarkable restraint and professionalism” amid provocations.
Kenya’s leading newspaper, The Nation, reported that a protester was fatally shot in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, while another individual survived after being hit by gunfire.
Separately, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported at least 10 deaths, 29 injuries, two kidnappings, and 37 arrests across 17 counties. The organization criticized the police for allegedly violating court directives requiring them to wear uniforms during protests, noting the presence of “hooded, unidentified officers” and armed criminal gangs at protest sites, including in the capital, Nairobi.
KNCHR called on the government to end the intimidation of civil society groups and human rights advocates, emphasizing that peaceful activism should not be criminalized.
The unrest follows deadly protests last month in which 19 people were killed during demonstrations marking the anniversary of last year’s youth-led uprising against a controversial finance bill, which was eventually withdrawn. The death of activist and teacher Albert Ojwang while in custody also fueled public outrage. Six people, including three police officers, were later charged with his murder, though all pleaded not guilty.
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