Kenya's National Human Rights Commission announced on Friday that violent protests that erupted last Monday resulted in the deaths of at least 38 people and the injury of 131 others.
This independent, though governmental, committee reported earlier last week that the death toll had reached 31 people and spoke of violent repression against the demonstrators.
Monday's protests saw the highest death toll since demonstrations against Kenyan President William Ruto began more than a year ago in the East African nation. The most prominent locations where deaths and injuries occurred were in three major cities: the capital, Nairobi, Kiambu, and Kajiado.
The latest demonstrations erupted last Monday, marking Saba Saba Day (Seven Seven, in Swahili, referring to the July 7, 1990 pro-democracy uprising), and were met with police deploying large numbers of security personnel to block major roads into Nairobi, whose streets were deserted, while clashes were concentrated on the outskirts of the capital.
In this context, the United Nations said last Tuesday that it was deeply disturbed by reports of deaths and injuries during anti-government protests in Kenya.
For his part, President Ruto warned on Wednesday against attempts to overthrow him through demonstrations and protests, stressing that security forces would shoot and wound any "looters."
distorting the country's image
During the same period last year, Kenya witnessed a wave of protests that erupted in June 2024 over a budget law that raised general tax rates. The law was described as controversial and widely rejected, particularly by young people who had previously supported President Ruto and hoped for reform, job opportunities, and a decent standard of living.
During the same period, police have violently suppressed the demonstrations, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people so far, according to the latest toll revealed in last week's events.
