The Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said in a statement it “had documented ten (10) fatalities, twenty-nine (29) injuries, two (2) cases of abduction and thirty-seven (37) arrests across seventeen (17) counties”. It did not provide any further details.
However, the body also noted the presence of “criminal gangs wielding crude weapons, including whips, wooden clubs, machetes, spears, bows and arrows” during the protests, stating that in capital Nairobi “these hooded gangs were seen operating alongside police officers”.
The places that witnessed the fatal Saba Saba Day clashes are:
Ngong (Kajiado County): Three people were shot dead during confrontations between protesters and police. The area saw intense clashes, with reports of live ammunition used against demonstrators.
Kajiado Town: Another three fatalities were recorded here, where protests turned violent amid heavy police deployment and road blockades.
Kitengela (Kajiado County): One person was killed and three others seriously injured. Protesters stormed the Subcounty Hospital, forcing medical staff to flee, and emergency response was severely hampered.
Tumaini, Olkalou (Nyandarua County): One protester was shot dead and another wounded. A police officer was also injured during the melee.
Mbeere (Embu County): One fatality was reported, though details remain sparse. The area experienced sporadic unrest and road closures.
Nairobi: A 14-year-old boy succumbed to bullet wounds, adding to the growing toll of youth casualties. Kangemi and Kamukunji were among the hardest-hit neighborhoods, with multiple injuries and arrests.
Beyond the fatalities, KNCHR documented widespread disruptions: hooded officers in unmarked vehicles operated alongside armed gangs in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, and Eldoret; major roads were barricaded in Meru, Kisii, Nyeri, Nakuru, and Embu; and looting incidents were reported in six counties.
The Kerugoya Central CDF office was set ablaze, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission’s offices were attacked by suspected hired thugs.
