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At least eight people have lost their lives during protests in Kenya to commemorate the first anniversary of the Gen-Z demonstrations. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) claims that all the deaths were due to gunshot injuries.
The Commission indicated that these fatalities occurred across six different counties: two people were killed in Machakos and Makueni, while Nakuru, Kiambu, Uasin Gishu, and Nyandarua experienced one fatality each.
The KNCHR voiced serious concern regarding what it termed as “persistent violations of human rights and disregard for the rule of law by both government agencies and certain groups of citizens.”
“The right to life is sacrosanct. We condole with the families of the deceased and urge all actors to respect the sanctity of life,” said the Commission vice chairperson, Dr Raymond Nyeris.
In addition to the deaths, the Commission recorded over 400 injuries, affecting protesters, law enforcement officials, and journalists. While most of the injured individuals received treatment and were released, 83 needed specialised care, and eight had gunshot injuries.
The protests, which took place in at least 23 counties, were met with significant police presence.
The KNCHR pointed out allegations of excessive force used by security forces, which included the use of rubber bullets, live ammunition, and water cannons. The commission also raised alarms about the presence of criminal elements during the protests, which resulted in violence, looting, and damage to property in various towns.
Additionally, the KNCHR denounced the Communication Authority’s (CA) order to stop live media coverage of the demonstrations, calling it a breach of constitutional rights related to media freedom and access to information.
