Kenya National Human Rights Commission, KNHRC has confirmed that 31 persons have already been pronounced dead by medical doctors attending to protesters who were attacked on Monday by Kenya security operatives and armed militias when thousands of Kenya residents came out to stage a mass protest to mark this year 7-7 anniversary, an event known as Saba-Saba Day that commemorates July 7, 1990 when Kenyans rose up to demand a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi, this, the United Opposition Leaders called on all Kenya Citizens to declare President Williams Ruto government as an illegitimate regime that is an enemy of the people, hostile to the people, killing the people by thus boycotting all government functions and activities and delegitimize the government’s businesses and actions, insisting, 2027 is too far for Kenyans to wait before ending the Presidency of Ruto, and in a swift reaction, President William Ruto on Wednesday visited Dagoretti Northern side of Nairobi to inspect the construction of 540 housing units’ project at Kilimani Police Station and during the visit, the President addressed the Nation and declared those or apparent protesters who attacked fellow Kenyans, police officers, security installations and businesses as terrorists, stressing, such acts are a declaration of war and he will never allowed retrogressive elements who want to rise to power through shortcut succeed.
Opposition leaders on Tuesday accused the government of deploying unmarked police vehicles to transport armed gangs to perceived opposition strongholds during the protests.
They called for a national boycott of all businesses affiliated with President Ruto’s administration, accusing his government of deploying state-sponsored violence and extrajudicial killings on Kenyans.
“This regime is hostile. It cannot be reasoned with. It must be resisted. We will not rest. We will not retreat. We will not surrender,” the opposition said in a joint statement.
Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua, one of the opposition leaders and former Deputy President of Kenya said: “On 7th July 2025, the 35th anniversary of Saba Saba, Kenyans took to the streets to protest. Unknown to the peaceful protesters, the tired regime of William Ruto had a well-organized, state-sponsored militia working in cohort with the police to maim, kill, destroy property, and blame it on the Kikuyu community.
President Ruto’s ICC cases are still ongoing and were paused after witnesses disappeared. It is clear that history is repeating itself. Ruto is hellbent on finishing his unfinished business with the Mount Kenya region
To President Ruto, I say this with a lot of humility: please stop being angry, the people of Kenya are far more angry than you are. If you truly want this to end, then restore the dignity of the payslip. When the middle class can breathe, they will create jobs for our young people. Stop the abductions, stop the extra-judicial killings. And if you want this to end, disband the killer squad”.
According to the Kenya National Human Rights Commission, KNHC: “The Commission is still actively monitoring and following up on all reports and incidences related to the 7th July, 2025 Saba Saba demonstrations across the country. Below is a general update of the Human Rights violations documented by KNCHR as of today 8th July, 2025 at 19:00 hours.
Deaths, 31, Injuries, 107, Enforced Disappearances, 2, Arrests, 532. Destruction of Property (Value Unknown).
The KNCHR strongly condemns all Human Rights violations and urge accountability from all responsible parties’ including police, civilians and all other stakeholders. We once again send our message of condolence to those who lost their loved ones and wish a quick recovery to those nursing injuries.
The KNCHR calls upon anyone with information and Human Rights concerns relating to the demonstrations to share it through-: SMS-22359, Email- complaint@knchr.org and Toll Free Line 0800720627″, stated as signed by Dr. Raymond Nyeris, Ph.D, Vice Chairperson, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
Kenya Human Rights Commission, KHRC in a video post on Monday had stated that: Law enforcement officers have killed at least nine protesters during Saba Saba demonstrations held across 24 counties. The actual death toll is likely higher. Given the nationwide scale of the protests, it will take time to verify and compile the final numbers of arrests and injuries.
Press briefing notes issued by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as made available via the UN website on Tuesday, the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani said; “We are deeply troubled by the killings yesterday of at least 10 people, as well as looting and destruction of property in Kenya as police and other security forces responded to violent protests in the capital Nairobi and at least 16 other counties. Lethal ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannons were used.
Police have reported that at least 11 people were killed, 52 police officers injured, and that 567 arrests were made. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported at least 10 fatalities, 29 injuries, 37 arrests and two abductions. We have also received reports of looting and damage to public and private property by unidentified individuals in multiple locations.
It is very concerning that these latest incidents come barely two weeks after 15 protesters were reportedly killed and many more injured in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya on 25 June. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk renews his call for calm and restraint, and full respect for the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. It is essential that legitimate grievances at the root of these protests are addressed.
We note that the police have announced an investigation into earlier incidents. The High Commissioner repeats his call for all reported killings and other alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law, including with respect to use of force, to be promptly, thoroughly, independently and transparently investigated. Those responsible must be held to account.
Under international human rights law, intentional lethal force by law enforcement officers, including with firearms, should only be used when strictly necessary to protect life from an imminent threat.
Our Office stands ready to support the authorities in Kenya in addressing these challenges, including in the investigations”.
Kenya Human Rights Commission, KHRC had earlier on Monday published CCTV footage on its X social media handle that shows “how goons stormed the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) offices at 2:08pm to disrupt a press conference by Kenyan mothers who were calling for an end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings ahead of Saba Saba protests:
At exactly 2:08pm, East Africa Time, E.A.T today, hired goons stormed our office—sent by the state to silence dissent. They violently disrupted a press conference by Kenyan mothers calling for an end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings targeting protesters ahead of Saba Saba demonstrations.
Saba Saba has been marked annually as a symbol of resistance and civic courage in ongoing struggles. This was a calculated escalation in the campaign of intimidation by the William Ruto regime against the KHRC—following the extraordinary illegal rendition of our staff Martin Mavenjina—and human rights defenders holding it accountable for gross human rights violations. We will not be silenced! The Constitution protects our right to protest and speak out. See you on the streets on Monday!
State-sponsored militia attacked two journalists and stole a laptop and phones during a press conference by Kenyan mothers condemning arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings during protests.
This CCTV footage clearly shows the individuals who took the items. We urge you to help identify their names.
The (Kenya) Directorate of Criminal Investigations, DCI must act on this evidence, arrest and arraign the perpetrators, and ensure the immediate return of the stolen devices”.
Kenya President, William Ruto on his verified X social media handle on Wednesday, tweeted and said: “Those who attack Kenyans, police officers, security installations and businesses are terrorists. Such criminal acts are a declaration of war.
We will not allow our country to be destroyed by retrogressive elements that are seeking shortcuts to rise to power. Enough is enough!
In Dagoretti North, Nairobi, assessed construction progress at the 540 housing units’ project at Kilimani Police Station”.
We had reported last year that the Kenya Police authority has redeployed all police personnel in Mukuru area within the country capital, Nairobi, following the discovery of dozens of bodies mostly female wrapped in a rubbish bags and dumped into a sea of Mukuru slum which is very close to one of the country’s police stations. Kenyan police are often accused by rights groups of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings or running hit squads, but few have faced justice”, AFP report ends in quote.