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Sixteen people died during nationwide anti-government protests in Kenya on Wednesday, with the majority reportedly killed by police. This tragic toll was confirmed by the head of Amnesty Kenya, occurring a year after earlier deadly demonstrations against a tax bill that culminated in the storming of parliament.
Thousands of Kenyans had taken to the streets to commemorate last year’s protests, which had resulted in over 60 deaths. In the capital, Nairobi, police reportedly used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators, according to local media and a Reuters witness.
While some protesters clashed with police, Irungu Houghton, Amnesty Kenya’s executive director, told Reuters that 16 people were “verified dead as of 8:30”. He added that these figures were corroborated by the global rights watchdog and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
“Most were killed by police,” Houghton said, adding that at least five of the victims had been shot dead.
The government-funded KNCHR earlier said eight deaths had been reported across the country, all “allegedly from gunshot wounds”.
“Over 400 casualties have been reported, including demonstrators, police officers and journalists,” KNCHR said in a statement shared on its official X account.
Amnesty Kenya, the human rights watchdog, observed a significant police presence during Wednesday’s nationwide protests and reported “allegations of excessive use of force, including rubber bullets, live ammunition and water cannons, resulting in numerous injuries.”
When approached for comment on the statements issued by Amnesty Kenya and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), Kenyan police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga declined to offer a response.
Meanwhile, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), a state-funded body, issued a statement confirming that at least 61 individuals were arrested during the demonstrations. An official at Kenyatta National Hospital, the capital’s main medical facility, stated that the hospital had received dozens of wounded people in the aftermath of the protests.
“107 admitted, most with gunshot injuries,” the source said, referring to rubber bullets and live rounds. He added that no deaths had been reported at KNH.
Kenya Power, the national electricity provider, reported that one of its security guards was fatally shot while on patrol at its headquarters in Nairobi.
Earlier, large crowds were observed moving towards State House, the president’s official residence, in scenes aired by Kenyan channel NTV. This broadcast, along with KTN’s live coverage of the demonstrations, was subsequently pulled off air after both broadcasters reportedly defied an order to cease their live transmissions.
Both NTV and KTN resumed their broadcasts later on Wednesday, following a court order in Nairobi that suspended the directive issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya.
