At least eight people have been killed in Kenya during nationwide protests against police brutality and alleged government corruption, the East African country鈥檚 National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), has reported.
More than 400 people, including journalists and police officers, were injured during the protests, held across 23 counties on Wednesday, the commission said in a statement.
鈥淢ost of them were treated and discharged, eighty-three (83) of them were referred for specialized treatment, eight (8) with gunshot wounds,鈥 KNCHR stated.
Irungu Houghton, executive director of the non-profit human rights organization Amnesty International in Kenya, told Reuters that at least 16 people had been 鈥渧erified as dead,鈥 most of them 鈥渒illed by police.鈥
The latest rallies are being held to commemorate last year鈥檚 youth-led demonstrations against a controversial finance bill aimed at raising $2.7 billion in revenue to service government debt, during which at least 60 people were killed by security forces, according to rights groups.
On Wednesday, thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets, with some in the capital, Nairobi, waving national flags and holding placards featuring images of those killed last year, chanting 鈥淩uto must go鈥 in reference to President William Ruto.
Some protesters, cornered in a blocked alley, were caught on camera pleading with CNN reporter Larry Madowo not to leave, fearing they would 鈥済et killed鈥 if he did. As the reporter spoke with them, riot police fired teargas in their direction, leaving the protesters gasping for breath.
鈥淲e are demonstrating peacefully. As you can see, we have nothing, I only have my phone鈥ut we have been cornered and we are afraid for our lives,鈥 one of the protesters, who had been rounded up along with security guards, told Madowo while on his knees.
Other clips show main roads into the capital鈥檚 central business district blocked, while government buildings were barricaded with razor wire. The Kenyan Communications Authority had initially ordered TV and radio stations to stop live coverage of the protests, but the directive was later overturned by the Nairobi High Court.
The anniversary marches come amid widespread outrage over the death of 31-year-old blogger Albert Ojwang, who was killed in custody earlier this month after criticizing a senior police officer. Six people, including three policemen, were charged with murder in connection to Ojwang鈥檚 death, though they all pleaded not guilty.
While police have stated that protests are allowed if peaceful and unarmed, two officers were arrested last week for shooting an unarmed civilian during a protest in Nairobi over Ojwang鈥檚 death.