11 people were killed nationwide in the latest anti-government protest as Kenyan police opened fire to disperse protestors in Nairobi, marking the 35th anniversary of pro-democracy rallies on Monday.
The sudden death of blogger Albert Ojawang in police custody last month has given the protests fresh impetus, fuelling anger against the authorities and bringing hundreds onto the streets.
According to a Reuters reporter, he saw police open fire on advancing protestors in the Nairobi suburb of Kangemi, with one man later lying motionless on the road with a bleeding wound.
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According to the suburb’s Eagle Nursing Home, they admitted six people with injuries, and two had died from gunshot wounds.
A source at Kenyatta National Hospital said it was treating 24 injured people but did not elaborate on their injuries.
According to Kenya’s police service, 11 people had died while 52 officers had been wounded. However, it was not immediately clear who was responsible for the killing.
In a statement, the police said, “Preliminary reports indicate fatalities, injuries, damage to motor vehicles, and several incidents of looting.”
KNCHR also said criminal gangs wielding whips and machetes appeared to be operating alongside police in Nairobi and the Rift Valley town of Eldoret.
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Local media reported rallies in Nyeri, Embu, and the lakeside city of Nakuru, where half a dozen police on horseback dispersed stone-throwing demonstrators.
Police had shut main highways going into Nairobi and restricted traffic within the city, leaving the streets empty save for the marchers, who arrived on foot. Most schools and at least one commercial mall were closed in anticipation of violence.
