NAIROBI, Kenya – At least four people were killed and dozens wounded in multiple towns across Kenya on Monday, as police opened fire to disperse demonstrators during nationwide Saba Saba protests.
The fatalities were reported in Kitengela (Kajiado County), Kangemi (Nairobi), and Olkalou (Nyandarua County), with medics and eyewitnesses blaming police gunfire for the casualties.
In Kitengela, a 21-year-old man was fatally shot while three others sustained gunshot injuries during running battles between protesters and anti-riot officers.
The injured were rushed to Kitengela Subcounty Hospital, but tensions escalated when angry residents stormed the facility, forcing medical staff to flee in fear.
The Kenya Red Cross later evacuated the wounded to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi for specialized treatment.
In Kangemi, two protesters died from gunshot wounds after being rushed to Eagle Hospital, according to doctors at the facility.
The neighbourhood had witnessed a heavy police presence amid attempts by protesters to access the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), which was under tight security lockdown.
Meanwhile, in Olkalou’s Tumaini area, one person was also confirmed dead and another seriously injured as police moved to break up demonstrations. One police officer was also reportedly injured during the clashes.
The violence marks the deadliest escalation of the 2025 Saba Saba protests, which commemorated the July 7, 1990 movement that forced Kenya’s return to multiparty democracy.
This year’s protests were largely driven by young Kenyans angry over the high cost of living, corruption, and police brutality.
Earlier in the day, the Nairobi CBD was effectively shut down, with police blocking major roads and barring both vehicles and pedestrians from entering.
Dozens of businesses remained closed as officers ordered evacuations and turned away crowds.
Despite the crackdown, protests erupted in several towns, including Kitengela, Kiserian, Ngong, Kahawa West, and Kiambu, with demonstrators lighting bonfires and erecting barricades.
