Wamuzi News Ke
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed today that the violent unrest sweeping Kenya during two peak protest days—25 June and 7 July—resulted in 42 deaths and almost 600 injuries. He emphasized that the state classifies the events as premeditated criminal attacks, not legitimate demonstrations.
Murkomen, speaking from Harambee House alongside senior security officials, detailed the scale of destruction:
“Criminal gangs” waged coordinated assaults on private businesses, government buildings, hospitals, ambulances, and police stations. He described the violence as “deliberate, dangerous and deeply disturbing.”
He added a painful toll: 496 of the injured were police officers—underscoring the forceful resistance faced by security personnel. In a sweeping crackdown, nearly 1,500 arrests have been made. Detainees include alleged financiers, instigators, and perpetrators facing charges ranging from terrorism to sexual assault.
Central to the violence were 16 police stations torched, including Dagoretti, Kikuyu, and Olkalou, where even detainees died in custody amid the chaos. Murkomen insisted the unrest was not rooted in constitutional protest:
“The right to demonstrate is protected, but what we witnessed went far beyond—looting, rape, illegal roadblocks, and torching of protected areas.” He warned: “To the financiers, organisers and executors… this reign of terror must end at whatever cost.”
Why This Matters.
State labels unrest ‘criminality’: Government frames it as orchestrated attacks, not peaceful protests.Unprecedented lawlessness: Coordinated efforts targeting state and civilian infrastructure threaten national security.
Security-service casualties: Injuries to nearly 500 officers highlight the severity of attacks.Broad enforcement action: High-level arrests indicate deep investigations into those behind the violence.
What to Watch
1. Court proceedings ahead—terrorism and murder charges loom over suspects.
2. Policy directive on firearm use imminent—Murkomen says new guidelines will be issued this Friday.
3. Oversight and accountability—calls intensify for independent investigations, particularly regarding police conduct and civilian harm.
The Deepening RiftHuman rights groups, including KNCHR, report at least 38 confirmed deaths from gunshot wounds during the Saba Saba protests alone—a figure officials must reconcile with the government’s higher total.
UN and international observers have warned against the militarization of policing in response to public dissent.
