10.07.2025 00:20
The anti-government "Saba Saba" protests in Kenya have turned the country into a battlefield. It has been reported that the death toll from the protests has risen to 31, with 107 people injured and 532 arrested.
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The government-opposed "Saba Saba" protests that began on July 7 in Kenya continue to see rising casualties, turning the country into a battlefield.
31 DEAD, 107 INJURED, 532 ARRESTED
In a statement by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), it was reported that 31 people have died, 107 have been injured, and 532 have been arrested in government-opposed protests across the country, where police and protesters frequently clashed. KNCHR also accused the Kenyan police of collaborating with armed gangs in the city, stating, "We strongly condemn all human rights violations; we call for accountability from all responsible parties, including the police, civilians, and all other stakeholders."
CRITICISMS FROM DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS
In a joint statement released by the Kenya Law Society and the Police Reform Working Group, it was stated, "Police units armed with military equipment and heavy weapons, deployed in defiance of a court order, are using masks and unmarked vehicles to conceal their identities."
In a statement by the Kenya National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), which is government-affiliated and whose members are appointed by the president, Kenyan politicians were urged not to escalate ethnic tensions, and the "disproportionate force" used by the police against protesters was criticized.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed deep sorrow for the loss of life during the protests in Kenya.
POLICE WERE ORDERED TO SHOOT
Due to the events, main roads leading to the capital Nairobi were closed, and many businesses were shut down. The police fired live ammunition at protesters who were burning tires to protest the government and used tear gas. Following the burning of some police stations, Kenya's Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen ordered the police to shoot protesters approaching the stations.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JULY 7 IN KENYA
"Saba Saba" means "Seven Seven" in Swahili, which is Kenya's official language. July 7 is seen as an important day in Kenya's history, and groups that gather every year on this date celebrate the call for a transition from a single-party system to a multi-party democracy against then-President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi in 1990. In this year's protests, demonstrators are calling for the resignation of the current President William Ruto.
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