CNN
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At least 31 people died and more than 500 were arrested in anti-government protests across Kenya on Monday, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said in a statement on Tuesday.
Kenyan police used tear gas and water cannon on protesters marking the 35th anniversary of a pro-democracy rally that has stirred anti-government resentment among Kenyan youths, who were already enraged over allegations of corruption, police brutality and abductions of government critics.
Some 107 civilians were injured and 532 were arrested, the KNCHR said Tuesday. A police statement released on Monday night local time said that 11 people died, 11 people were injured and 567 people were arrested in the protests. CNN has reached out to the police for comment on KNCHR’s figures.
The East African country has been hit by a wave of bloody protests that began last year over an unpopular finance bill that raised taxes amid a cost-of-living crisis.
Kenya’s government withdrew the tax bill in June last year in the wake of the demonstrations, but outrage has intensified over the recent death of a teacher in police custody and the shooting of an unarmed street vendor by police.
At least 16 people were killed and hundreds injured during anti-government protests last month. Dozens more died during the anti-tax demonstrations in 2024.
On Monday, several parts of Kenya saw gatherings as people marked the anniversary of the July 7, 1990, pro-democracy march known as Saba Saba.
In the capital Nairobi, Kenyan security forces repelled protesters with tear gas and water cannon hours after blocking major roads leading into the city. Roads leading to the Kenyan Parliament building, as well as the president’s office and residence, were also barricaded ahead of the demonstrations.
There were reports on Monday afternoon of police opening fire on protesters. CNN has not confirmed the reports, but has reached out to Kenya’s National Police Service for comment.
In its Monday night statement outlining fatalities, injuries and arrests, Kenya’s police service said that “each reported incident will be subject to further investigation, in accordance with the law.”
CNN affiliate Citizen TV reported that at least five people were shot dead in protests across the country, including two people who were shot dead in the Kangemi neighborhood of Nairobi. Another man was shot in the area and was “seen lying on the road” unconscious, it added.
Video circulating on social media and geolocated by CNN shows a civilian in Kenya’s Kiambu County stepping out of a car surrounded by armed officers, and then being whipped repeatedly by one of them. The civilian covers their head to protect themself, but does not appear to be threatening the officer in any way.
In other parts of the country, some protesters remained defiant despite the chaotic scenes.
“We are not ready to go back (home) because who will fight for our rights then? We will be here till evening,” protester Francis Waswa told Reuters.
The clampdown comes after individuals described by the Kenyan Human Rights Commission as “hired goons” who were “sent by the state to silence dissent” stormed the NGO’s office.
In a statement on Sunday night, the human rights body said those who entered the building “violently disrupted a press conference by Kenyan mothers calling for an end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings targeting protesters ahead of Saba Saba demonstrations.”
Kenyan government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura told CNN to “contact the police spokesman” for comment when asked about the allegation.
Police spokesman Nyaga said: “The National Police Service is looking into the incident and shall take appropriate steps after reviewing the unacceptable clip,” referring to CCTV footage shared by the NGO.
Earlier on Sunday, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said security agencies were “on high alert to deal decisively with criminals and other elements of ill intent who may seek to infiltrate peaceful processions to cause havoc, mayhem, or destruction of property.”
Murkomen previously described last month’s demonstrations as “terrorism disguised as dissent,” in a statement that further reignited outrage.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
