Sixteen Killed, Hundreds Injured in Anti-Government Protests Across Kenya

Young Kenyan Protestors(image)

Reporter

At least 16 people have died and over 400 others were injured during large-scale anti-government protests in Kenya, according to Amnesty International and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. The demonstrations, which swept across major cities, were a response to police brutality, government corruption, and controversial tax hikes.

Most casualties were reported in the capital, Nairobi, where protesters, police officers, and journalists sustained injuries from live fire, rubber bullets, and physical beatings. The unrest was marked by violent clashes between demonstrators and police forces, who used tear gas and batons to disperse crowds.

The protests commemorate the one-year anniversary of the 2023 youth-led uprising against tax increases. During last year's demonstrations, at least 60 people were reportedly killed by security forces. This year, thousands of people took to the streets waving Kenyan flags and holding placards bearing images of victims from previous protests. The crowd chanted slogans like “Ruto must go,” targeting President William Ruto, whose proposed economic reforms remain widely unpopular.

Demonstrations extended beyond Nairobi, with clashes also reported in Matuu, a town approximately 100km (62 miles) from the capital. Authorities responded by blocking major roads into Nairobi’s central business district and barricading key government buildings with razor wire. The government initially banned live TV and radio broadcasts of the protests, but the High Court in Nairobi overturned the decree, affirming the right to information and freedom of the press. President Ruto, who was attending a funeral in Kilifi County during the unrest, urged demonstrators to avoid destabilizing the country. “Protests should not be to destroy peace in Kenya. We do not have another country to go to when things go wrong,” he said. His absence from State House, despite protestors attempting to reach it, was notable, as security forces erected barricades around the residence and parliament.