Overview
- At least 31 people were killed nationwide during Saba Saba Day protests as police fired on demonstrators in multiple counties.
- President William Ruto instructed officers to shoot looters and vandals in the leg to incapacitate them rather than use lethal force.
- Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen had previously ordered police to “shoot and kill” protesters approaching stations, drawing widespread condemnation.
- The UN Human Rights Office and Kenya National Commission on Human Rights have called for transparent, independent inquiries into the protest-related deaths and alleged excessive force.
- Families of those killed and opposition figures are demanding justice after the wave of youth-led demonstrations over high living costs, corruption and police brutality.