The United Nations has raised serious concerns following a deadly wave of anti-government protests that erupted across Kenya on Wednesday. The protests, which marked the anniversary of the 2024 anti-tax demonstrations, turned violent, leaving scores injured and significant damage to property in the capital, Nairobi.
According to various reports, over 400 people sustained injuries, including police officers, although the confirmed number of deaths remains unclear. Current estimates place the death toll between eight and sixteen. The protests were reportedly sparked by growing anger over the recent death of a popular blogger, Albert Ojwan, 31, who died in police custody under controversial circumstances.
Demonstrators stormed government and police buildings, with eyewitnesses claiming several businesses were looted and burned. Protesters also called for the occupation of the presidential residence as tensions escalated in the city.
On Thursday, the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) issued a strong statement calling for calm and restraint. The statement expressed alarm over reports of protesters being wounded or killed by live ammunition, stating that under international human rights law, law enforcement should only use lethal force when absolutely necessary—to protect life or prevent serious injury from an imminent threat.
OHCHR welcomed the announcement that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority in Kenya would investigate the incidents, emphasizing the importance of swift, impartial, and transparent investigations. “Those responsible must be brought to justice to ensure such violence does not recur,” the statement read.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, during a press briefing in New York, said, “We are obviously concerned about the violence we have seen in Kenya. We are closely monitoring the situation and are very saddened by the loss of life.”
Kenyan Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, in a counter-statement, accused the protesters of seeking to “unconstitutionally enact regime change.” He further claimed that nine police stations had been attacked, dozens of vehicles destroyed, and five firearms stolen.
As global attention shifts to Kenya, the world watches closely for how the government will respond and whether accountability will be delivered in the days ahead. AFP
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