Ten dead, 29 injured in Saba Saba protest chaos

By Newsflash Writer

At least ten people have been killed and 29 others injured during the ongoing Saba Saba anniversary demonstrations, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has revealed.

In a press statement released Monday evening, KNCHR said it was deeply concerned by the mounting human toll and widespread human rights violations witnessed across 17 counties.

“As of 6:30 PM today, we have documented ten fatalities, twenty-nine injuries, two cases of abduction and thirty-seven arrests,” said Dr Raymond Nyeris, Vice Chairperson of KNCHR. “This level of violence is unacceptable in a democratic society.”

According to the Commission, the deaths and injuries occurred in a chaotic environment where law enforcement clashed with protesters, while criminal gangs were reported operating in some areas, often with impunity.

Roadblocks, gangs, and police impunity

The Commission also cited rampant police excesses and disregard of a High Court order requiring officers managing protests to be in uniform and identifiable.

KNCHR observed numerous hooded individuals—believed to be police officers—moving in unmarked vehicles in Nairobi, Nakuru, and Kajiado.

Even more troubling, the Commission said, was the emergence of armed criminal gangs in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, and Eldoret, reportedly working in tandem with police officers. These gangs, armed with machetes, spears, and clubs, were seen attacking civilians and causing mayhem.

The situation forced hundreds of businesses to shut down, disrupted transport services nationwide—including rail and air—and stranded countless Kenyans trying to access hospitals or travel across counties.

“Many citizens were unable to get to work, and patients could not reach health facilities due to road closures,” said the Commission.

In one instance, the Kerugoya Central CDF office was set ablaze by suspected criminals amid widespread looting in six counties.

The KNCHR also condemned the violent attack on the Kenya Human Rights Commission offices on Sunday, where hired thugs reportedly assaulted staff and protesters, and harassed journalists.

The agency is calling for immediate investigations and prosecutions of all those responsible, including those captured on CCTV footage.

The Commission further decried a recent surge in harassment and persecution of human rights defenders (HRDs), with over 20 arrested, assaulted, or summoned for interrogation in the past week alone.

KNCHR urged the government to end its crackdown on civil society and reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights and freedoms of all Kenyans.