Nairobi, July 9: At least eleven people were killed and dozens injured across Kenya as police fired live rounds and tear gas at protesters during nationwide anti-government demonstrations on Monday, police said, marking the deadliest day of unrest in recent weeks.
The protests coincided with “Saba Saba” — an annual commemoration of Kenya’s 1990 pro-democracy uprising — and quickly escalated into broader calls for President William Ruto’s resignation, fuelled by growing discontent over economic hardship, police brutality, and corruption.
A statement from the National Police Service on Monday confirmed 11 fatalities and said 52 officers were injured during clashes in Nairobi and other parts of the country. Protesters in the capital blew whistles, waved placards, and marched through heavily policed streets as authorities blocked major roads and deployed water cannons.
“We are not ready to go back [home] because who will fight for our rights then? We will be here till evening,” said Francis Waswa, a construction worker, at one of the protests in Nairobi.
Demonstrations also took place in several other cities, with reports of live ammunition injuries. Ambulances were seen rushing to affected areas as tensions flared between protesters and security forces.
The protests were partly triggered by the death of Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger, in police custody last month. Six people, including three police officers, have been charged with his murder and have pleaded not guilty. The case has reignited anger over alleged extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances by security forces.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, at least 80 people have died in protest-related incidents since June 2024, and dozens more have been detained without charge.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said on Sunday that the government was committed to protecting life and property during protests but warned that security agencies were on “high alert” to confront “criminals” seeking to exploit the unrest.
Protest organizers, however, accused the government of planting armed vandals to incite chaos and discredit the largely peaceful demonstrations.
A news conference by the Kenyan Human Rights Commission was forcibly broken up on Sunday afternoon when a group of men, some wielding sticks, stormed the venue. Most schools and at least one major shopping mall remained closed on Monday in anticipation of violence.
Kenya’s largely youthful population, frustrated by soaring costs of living and widespread unemployment, has been increasingly vocal on social media. Nearly 80% of the country’s workforce is engaged in informal, low-paying jobs, exacerbating inequality and resentment.
Despite the unrest, President Ruto, who was elected in 2022, retains a firm grip on power following a political pact with longtime opposition leader Raila Odinga. With no credible opposition challenger in sight, Ruto’s position ahead of the 2027 elections remains largely unthreatened. The government has denounced the protests as an “attempted coup,” while rights groups have called for accountability and restraint in the handling of demonstrations.
