Three More Killed in Anti-Government Protests

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Three more people were killed during nationwide anti-government protests in Kenya, raising the death toll to 53, with police using excessive force and live ammunition.
• The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported 82 new injuries and 77 arrests, bringing the total to 574 injuries and 1,201 arrests since the protests began.

On Tuesday, three more people were killed during the ongoing nationwide anti-government protests in Kenya, bringing the death toll to 53 since the demonstrations began about a month ago. 

The protests have been marred by police using excessive force, with officers opening fire indiscriminately on demonstrators.

In Kitengela, Kajiado County, one protester was shot dead when police lobbed tear gas canisters, turning the situation chaotic. 

Another protester was killed in the Nairobi Central Business District, captured on CCTV as he was struck by a police bullet. 

Along Moi Avenue in Nairobi, police used deadly force on demonstrators, shooting dead a young man who was fleeing the protests. CCTV footage recorded at noon showed three people running from the police, with one falling after a speeding police vehicle passed by. 

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The vehicle, part of a convoy with blocked number plates, was manned by police officers, some in plain clothes and masks, firing tear gas and live rounds.

Several protesters were injured during the demonstrations, with the Bliss Moi Avenue Hospital treating at least 30 people, some with gunshot wounds. 

Those in critical condition were transferred to nearby referral hospitals. At one point, doctors had to abandon patients to take cover when police lobbed tear gas canisters into the health facility, causing panic.

For the first time since the protests began, police used a rare orange powder to disperse protesters. 

The powder, believed by some to be toxic, was said by police to be intended to cause itching and to mark protesters for identification.

In response to the escalating violence, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration recommended the establishment of the office of the Coroner General to investigate deaths, including those resulting from police action. 

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported that Tuesday’s killings brought the total number of deaths since the protests began to 53. 

The commission also recorded 82 more injuries, raising the total to 574, and noted 77 additional arrests, pushing the total number of arrests to 1,201 since the protests began.