Nairobi [Kenya], July 8 : At least 11 people were killed and more than 500 detained during anti-government protests across Kenya, CNN reported, citing the country's National Police Service on Monday (local time).
As per CNN, security forces used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators, primarily young Kenyans, who expressed their anger and frustration over the corruption allegations, police brutality, and reports of enforced disappearances targeting critics of the government on the 35th anniversary of the 1990 Saba Saba pro-democracy movement.
The word "Saba Saba" in Kiswahili means "seven seven", referencing the date when the protest took place on July 7, 1990.
Police reported that 11 civilians were injured during the demonstrations, though the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) placed the number at 29, while a total of 567 people were arrested, police confirmed, as reported by CNN.
The protests are part of a broader wave of unrest that began last year following the introduction of a controversial finance bill that raised taxes amid a worsening cost-of-living crisis.
Although the government scrapped the bill in June 2024 due to public pressure, public outrage has continued to grow, especially after the recent deaths of a teacher in police custody and an unarmed street vendor shot by police, as reported by CNN.
At least 16 people were killed and hundreds wounded during similar protests last month, and dozens more have died in anti-tax demonstrations since early 2024.
On Monday, demonstrations took place in multiple regions of Kenya, with large crowds gathering to commemorate the July 7, 1990, Saba Saba protest. In Nairobi, security forces clashed with demonstrators near major government buildings, including the Parliament and the President's residence, which had been heavily barricaded in anticipation of unrest, CNN reported.
In a statement released on Monday night, Kenya's National Police Service announced that all reported incidents of violence and misconduct would be investigated in accordance with legal procedures.
The government crackdown followed a Sunday raid on the offices of the Kenyan Human Rights Commission, allegedly by state-backed operatives. The attackers reportedly disrupted a press conference held by mothers demanding an end to arbitrary arrests, disappearances, and killings of protestors ahead of the Saba Saba anniversary, CNN reported.
Kenya's Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen earlier stated that security agencies were on high alert to prevent criminals from infiltrating peaceful marches and causing unrest. He previously labelled last month's protests as "terrorism disguised as dissent", a remark that further fuelled public outrage, CNN reported.