NAIROBI: Marches in Kenya to mark a year since massive anti-government demos turned violent on Wednesday, with sixteen killed and hundreds injured as protesters held running battles with police, who flooded Nairobi鈥檚 streets with tear gas and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire.
At least 60 people were killed last year by security forces in weeks of protests over tax rises and the dire economic situation for young Keny-ans, peaking when a huge crowd stormed parliament on June 25.
Thousands gathered in central Nairobi and other towns on Wednesday, including the families of last year鈥檚 victims, for initially peaceful anniversary marches. They soon descended into chaos as scattered groups ripped up flagstones to throw projectiles at security forces and chanted for the resignation of President William Ruto.
鈥淲e are marching against police brutality, against oppression by the government, against high taxation, everything that is going wrong in this country,鈥 said Anthony, 25. Two people were shot and killed in the town of Matuu, around 100 kilometres from the capital, a hospital official said, with local media reporting that police had fired on protesters.
Govt orders TV and radio stations to halt live coverage
Emergency medics dealt with at least 400 injured people in Nairobi, including 67 in critical condition, an official with a multi-agency response team said. By late afternoon, local media showed huge crowds trying to reach the business district with police holding them off with roadblocks.
The government ordered TV and radio stations to halt live coverage of the protests, which gained momentum beyond the capital, including in the port city Mombasa. NetBlocks, a global internet tracker, said social media platform Telegram had been restricted.
鈥淲e are here as the young generation. We want a complete overh-aul of the system, the system is rotten, the system is rogue,鈥 said protester Florence Achala in Nairobi.
Anger has flared over police brutality, particularly after a teacher was killed in custody earlier this month. A group of peaceful protesters was attacked last week by a gang of motorbike-riding 鈥済oons鈥, as they are known in Kenya, armed with whips and clubs and working in tandem with the police.
Western embassies in Kenya, in–c–luding those of Britain, Germ-a–ny and the United States, criticised in a joint statement 鈥渢he use of hired 鈥榞oons鈥 to infiltrate or disrupt peaceful gatherings鈥.
The 鈥済oons鈥 were not clearly present on Wednesday but police used large amounts of tear gas and water cannons as they attempted to push back groups of protesters. Analyst and lawyer Javas Bigambo said he was worried political groups would exploit the volatile mood to foster violence.
鈥淭here is nothing good to celebrate about the events that happened last year,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f we were serious about commemorating June 25th, it should be in solemnity, prayer and restraint.鈥
Disillusioned
There is deep resentment against Ruto, who came to power in 2022 promising rapid economic progress. Many are disillusioned by continued stagnation, corruption and high taxes, even after last year鈥檚 protests forced Ruto to cancel the unpopular finance bill. His government has been at pains to avoid direct tax rises this year.
But the frequent disappearances of government critics 鈥 rights groups have counted more than 80 since last year鈥檚 protests, with dozens still missing 鈥 have led many to accuse Ruto of returning Kenya to the dark days of its dictatorship in the 1980s and 1990s. Ruto has previously promised an end to abductions but was unapologetic in a speech on Tuesday, vowing to 鈥渟tand by鈥 the police.
Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2025