The acclaimed investigative documentary Blood Parliament, produced by BBC Africa Eye, has won a prestigious international journalism award, bringing renewed global attention to Kenya’s 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
The film took home the Best On-Demand Journalism award at the Royal Television Society Television Journalism Awards, one of the United Kingdom’s most respected honours for broadcast journalism.
The recognition highlights the documentary’s powerful investigative reporting and its detailed reconstruction of one of the most dramatic political moments in recent Kenyan history.
Released in 2025, Blood Parliament examines the events of June 25, 2024, when thousands of protesters gathered in Nairobi to demonstrate against controversial tax proposals contained in the country’s finance legislation.
The protests were largely driven by young Kenyans who mobilised online to oppose the proposed tax increases. Demonstrations escalated dramatically when crowds breached the perimeter of Parliament Buildings, leading to clashes between protesters and security forces.
Security personnel responded with tear gas, batons and live ammunition as the situation spiralled into chaos. Several protesters were killed while many others sustained injuries in the confrontation that followed.
The documentary set out to investigate exactly what happened that day.
Using advanced investigative techniques, the BBC Africa Eye team reconstructed the sequence of events minute by minute. Journalists analysed hundreds of publicly shared videos and photographs taken by protesters, journalists and bystanders to build a detailed timeline of the protests and the response by security forces.
Through a process of open-source investigation, the documentary identified the moments when three unarmed protesters were fatally shot during the chaos outside parliament.
Judges at the Royal Television Society awards praised the film for its compelling storytelling and its innovative use of digital evidence.
In their remarks, the panel described the documentary as a powerful example of modern investigative journalism that combined video verification, data analysis and on-the-ground reporting.
They said the production “took our breath away” and commended the team for presenting a clear and transparent account of how the investigation was conducted.
The recognition places Blood Parliament among some of the most impactful investigative journalism projects in global media in recent years.
Since its release online, the documentary has attracted millions of views and sparked widespread debate both in Kenya and internationally.
The film quickly went viral on social media platforms, with many viewers praising the investigative approach used to piece together evidence from multiple sources.
Despite its international acclaim, the documentary also sparked controversy in Kenya.
Some government officials criticised the film, arguing that it did not fully capture the destruction and violence that occurred during the protests.
Tensions escalated when a planned private screening of the documentary in Nairobi was reportedly cancelled amid pressure from authorities.
The development triggered debate about freedom of expression and the role of investigative journalism in holding institutions accountable.
Blood Parliament was produced by BBC Africa Eye, the investigative unit of the BBC News that specialises in long-form reporting across the African continent.
The unit is known for its in-depth investigations that combine traditional journalism with modern digital forensic techniques.
For Blood Parliament, the team relied on thousands of video clips, satellite imagery and digital verification tools to reconstruct the events that unfolded during the protests.
By carefully analysing visual evidence from multiple angles, the journalists were able to identify key moments and trace the sequence of events that led to the fatal shootings.
The documentary also demonstrated how open-source intelligence, commonly known as OSINT is increasingly being used by news organisations to verify footage and uncover the truth behind complex events.
