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Kenya plans to file terrorism charges against 37 individuals detained during violent anti-government protests in late June, according to prosecutors on Tuesday.
The protests, which were originally organised to commemorate a year since large youth-led demonstrations against tax increases began in the East African nation, turned chaotic as young men clashed with law enforcement.
Following the demonstrations, Kenya’s police reported the arrest of 485 individuals on various charges including murder, terrorism, and rape, noting that on June 30, 37 people remained under active investigation.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has approved and filed terrorism charges against 37 individuals arraigned at the Kahawa Law Courts,” on the outskirts of the capital, Nairobi, the prosecutor’s office said.
In a statement posted on X, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced that the accused had caused damage to public property, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of businesses in Nairobi’s commercial zone during the unrest.
The suspects will remain in custody until July 10, when the court is expected to decide on their appeal regarding the terrorism charges, according to the DPP.
Public discontent regarding the economic situation and police violence has triggered ongoing waves of protests since President William Ruto assumed office in 2022.
Criticism from the country’s marginalised youth regarding planned tax increases led to weeks of protests in June and July 2024, which were met with strong suppression by law enforcement.
Human rights organisations have accused the police of being responsible for numerous deaths among demonstrators, as well as a series of forced disappearances.
In the aftermath of the June protests, the government likened the events to an “attempted coup,” while protesters claimed that the authorities hired armed vandals to tarnish their movement’s reputation.
New demonstrations on Monday resulted in the fatalities of at least ten individuals, as reported by the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
