At least 31 individuals have been killed, and more than 100 others injured as protests erupted across Kenya on Monday, driven by escalating anger towards President William Ruto's government. Reports from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights indicate that there were also 532 documented arrests and two forced disappearances tied to these demonstrations.
In a heavy-handed response, police deployed live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannons against protesters nationwide. Eyewitnesses reported that officers launched tear gas from elevated positions targeting crowds gathered below on the streets. The confrontations saw some protesters retaliate by throwing rocks, while others continued to express their frustrations through dance.
These protests coincided with Saba Saba Day, a significant date marking the inception of Kenya's movement towards multiparty democracy in 1990. The term 'Saba Saba,' meaning "Seven Seven" in Swahili, pays homage to the first pro-democracy gatherings held in Nairobi.
In a show of force, police erected barricades and blocked critical routes leading to Nairobi’s central business district, rendering typically bustling streets eerily deserted except for determined protesters willing to march on foot.
