At least eight people have lost their lives and hundreds more have sustained injuries during widespread protests against President William Ruto’s administration in Kenya. Demonstrators filled the streets in various cities, demanding change exactly one year after a similar wave of anti-government protests that turned deadly in 2024.
In an attempt to disperse the crowds, police deployed tear gas and water cannons, while the government initially prohibited live television and radio coverage of the protests. However, a High Court ruling in Nairobi later overturned this ban. Many protesters chanted the phrase “Ruto must go” while waving branches as a peaceful symbol of their dissent.
Addressing the situation from a burial ceremony in Kilifi County, President Ruto urged demonstrators to maintain peace and stability. “Protests should not be to destroy peace in Kenya. We do not have another country to go to when things go wrong. It is our responsibility to keep our country safe,” he stated, as protesters attempted to approach his official residence but were repelled by police.
Security measures intensified around key locations, with barricades and razor wire blocking roads leading to State House and the parliament.
While the authorities have yet to release official casualty figures from the protests, a joint statement from the Kenya Medical Association, the Law Society of Kenya, and the Police Reforms Working Group confirmed at least eight fatalities. Of the approximately 400 injuries reported, 83 individuals required specialized medical attention, including eight with gunshot wounds, with three of the injured being police officers. Amnesty Kenya, a human rights organization, reported that the death toll could be as high as 16.
Amina Mude, a demonstrator, expressed her motivation for participating, telling the BBC, “I joined the protests to fight for the future of my kids. I feel like as a country we’re not going in the right direction, especially in education and everything happening. I feel like it’s high time that the country and the leadership listen to us.”
In Nairobi, footage captured the chaos as clouds of tear gas enveloped the streets, forcing protesters to flee while coughing and shielding their eyes. Amidst the unrest, many marched past closed shops and desolate streets, with tributes left around the parliament building in memory of last year’s victims, including wreaths and poignant messages from families of those killed in the previous protests. A young woman draped in the Kenyan flag held a sign bearing the names of individuals lost to police violence a year ago, a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and change.