The Police in Kenya have fired live bullets and water canon at anti-government protesters in capital Nairobi on the 35th anniversary of a pro-democracy uprising.
It is now reported that at least one person was killed and several injured, as hundreds of demonstrators advanced in the city, with some blowing whistles while they marched amid heavy Police deployment.
Kenyan people rally each year on July 7th to mark the date in 1990 when Kenyans demanded a return to multiparty democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-President Daniel Arap Moi and the protest – called “Saba Saba” meaning “seven seven” in Kiswahili because of the date – have turned into a wider call for President William Ruto to resign.
Similar demonstrations over corruption, Police brutality and unexplained disappearances of government critics had descended into violent clashes last month.
Today’s event came as young Kenyans are once again engaging in protests that also saw looting and violence, leaving dozens dead and thousands of businesses destroyed and protesters accuse the authorities of paying armed vandals to discredit their movement, while the government has compared the demonstrations with an “attempted coup”.
However, the Minister for Internal Affairs Kipchumba Murkomen said that the government is committed to protecting life and property during protests
“Our security agencies are 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,” Minister Kipchumba said.
However, a leading activist Hanifa Aden said that the Police getting is blocking every road while although many of them stayed at home.
The Kenyan Human Rights Commission held a press conference and called for an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings but the meeting was also broken up when men, some armed with sticks, forced their way into the office compound.
Rising economic expectations have created anger at inequalities in a country where about 80 percent are trapped in informal, poorly paid jobs and the recent death of Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger in Police custody in June gave impetus to protests, with Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reporting 19 deaths across the country during demonstrations last month.
It should be remembered that prosecutors have since approved murder charges against six people, including three Police officers, over Ojwang’s death and when they appeared in Court all six pleaded not guilty, but least 80 people have died in protests since June 2024 and dozens detained illegally.
Kenyan President William Ruto who was elected in 2022 is still holding a strong political position, having forged an alliance with the main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, leaving no clear challenger ahead of the next vote in 2027.
