By The Anchor Team
NAIROBI, July 7, 2025 — A deadly crackdown on Saba Saba Day protests left at least 19 people dead, according to civil society groups monitoring Monday’s demonstrations.
But the National Police Service (NPS), in contrast, issued a late-night statement reporting only 11 fatalities — a figure human rights defenders have condemned as a deliberate undercount meant to mask police brutality.
Across Kenya, what began as a national day of protest quickly turned into a security emergency, with violent clashes reported in Nyeri, Embu, Ngong, Kitengela, Machakos, Wote, Emali, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Kisii. The protests, called to commemorate the historic July 7 pro-democracy movement, drew thousands of Kenyans angry over the rising cost of living, corruption, and governance failures.
In a detailed update, the police claimed:
- 11 people had died,
- 52 police officers were injured,
- 11 civilians sustained injuries,
- 12 police vehicles, 3 government vehicles, and 4 civilian vehicles were damaged, and
- 567 arrests were made, including that of Gitonga Mukunji, MP for Manyatta.
But civil rights groups have flatly rejected the police narrative.
“We have counted at least 19 confirmed deaths, most from police bullets. And we’re still verifying reports from several counties,” said a spokesperson for the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). “The number of injured civilians is being grossly downplayed. Some hospitals are treating dozens who were shot or assaulted by police.”
In Nairobi’s Mathare and Kibera estates, residents described seeing plainclothes officers firing at protestors. In Kisii, a young boda boda rider was reportedly shot while trying to flee a confrontation. In Wote, Makueni, demonstrators clashed with police outside the county headquarters, leading to several injuries and at least two confirmed deaths.
In Emali and Machakos, live bullets and tear gas were used to break up protests by youth groups demanding transparency in county budgets.
In Ngong and Kitengela, banks and supermarkets closed early as looting broke out amid heavy police deployment.
“The State turned a day of remembrance into a day of mourning,” said activist Beatrice Mwikali of the Defenders Coalition. “This is not crowd control — this is a war on citizens. A war on dissent.”
Lawyers condemn mass arrests
Legal aid groups working overnight confirmed that hundreds of people had been detained without charge, some held incommunicado. The arrest of MP Gitonga Mukunji has been condemned as a targeted political move, sending a chilling signal to opposition-aligned lawmakers.
“The Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly,” said lawyer Patrick Otieno. “The fact that so many were arrested, injured, and killed during a protest speaks to the erosion of that right.”
In its statement, the NPS praised its officers for showing restraint and called on the public to help identify individuals who “infiltrated” the protests to commit crimes. However, the force failed to address allegations of extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate beatings, or the documented use of live ammunition against unarmed civilians.
Public fury rising
With tension still high in parts of the country, civic groups are demanding an independent inquiry into the use of force and the full publication of victims’ names. “We want names, post-mortem results, accountability — not press statements,” said Haki Africa’s Hussein Khalid.
As Kenyans count the cost of another blood-stained Saba Saba, the questions multiply:
Who ordered the deadly force? Who will be held accountable? And how many more protests must turn into funerals before justice is served?
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