24 hours in pictures, 25 June 2025
Through the lens: The Citizen's Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world.
A protester reacts in front of a burning barricade in downtown Nairobi on June 25, 2025 during a planned day of protest marking the first anniversary of the storming of the parliament. Thousands of protesters took to Kenya's streets on Wednesday to mark a year since people stormed parliament at the peak of anti-government demonstrations, despite fears that they would be met by state-backed gangs and police violence. At least 60 people were killed last year by security forces in weeks of protests over tax rises and the dire economic situation for young Kenyans. Activists and families of victims have called for peaceful demonstrations to mark a year since the deadliest day of the unrest when parliament was invaded. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)
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eNCA
an hour ago
- eNCA
Kenya anniversary protest death toll rises to eight
NAIROBI - Marches in Kenya to mark a year since massive anti-government demos turned violent on Wednesday, with eight killed and at least 400 injured as protesters held running battles with police, who flooded Nairobi's streets with tear gas and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire. Initially peaceful commemorations descended into chaos as scattered groups ripped up flagstones to throw projectiles at security forces and chanted for the resignation of President William Ruto. The marches had been called for the anniversary of massive protests last year against tax rises that left at least 60 people dead and peaked when a huge crowd stormed parliament on June 25. AFP | Luis TATO "We are marching against police brutality, against oppression by the government, against high taxation, everything that is going wrong in this country," said Anthony, 25, who was also selling flags and did not want to give his full name. A coalition of rights groups said eight people died as protests were held in 23 counties. "At least 400 others were treated, with 83 of them referred to specialized treatment for serious injuries," the coalition, which includes Amnesty International and the Kenyan Medical Association, said in a statement. A hospital source in Matuu, a town around 100 kilometres (65 miles) from Nairobi, earlier told AFP that two people had died from gunshot wounds there, with local media reporting that police had opened fire. AFP | Luis TATO The government ordered TV and radio stations to halt live coverage of the protests, which gained momentum beyond the capital, including in the port city Mombasa. NetBlocks, a global internet tracker, said social media platform Telegram had been restricted. "We are here as the young generation. We want a complete overhaul of the system, the system is rotten, the system is rogue," said protester Florence Achala in Nairobi. - 'Goons' - Anger has flared over police brutality, particularly after a teacher was killed in custody earlier this month. A group of peaceful protesters was attacked last week by a gang of motorbike-riding "goons", as they are known in Kenya, armed with whips and clubs and working in tandem with the police. AFP | Luis TATO Western embassies in Kenya, including those of Britain, Germany and the United States, criticised in a joint statement "the use of hired 'goons' to infiltrate or disrupt peaceful gatherings". The "goons" were not clearly present on Wednesday but police used large amounts of tear gas and water cannons as they attempted to push back groups of protesters. Analyst and lawyer Javas Bigambo told AFP he was worried political groups would exploit the volatile mood to foster violence. "There is nothing good to celebrate about the events that happened last year," he said. "If we were serious about commemorating June 25th, it should be in solemnity, prayer and restraint." - Disillusioned - There is deep resentment against Ruto, who came to power in 2022 promising rapid economic progress. Many are disillusioned by continued stagnation, corruption and high taxes, even after last year's protests forced Ruto to cancel the unpopular finance bill. AFP | Tony Karumba His government has been at pains to avoid direct tax rises this year. But the frequent disappearances of government critics -- rights groups have counted more than 80 since last year's protests, with dozens still missing -- have led many to accuse Ruto of returning Kenya to the dark days of its dictatorship in the 1980s and 1990s. AFP | Raphael AMBASU
Daily Maverick
3 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Eight reported dead, more than 400 injured after protests erupt in Kenya
Kenyan rights body says eight deaths have been reported while hundreds are injured, including from bullet wounds, in anti-government protests marking the anniversary of bloody anti-tax bill demonstrations last year. At least eight people died and 400 were injured during nationwide anti-government protests in Kenya on Wednesday, a year after deadly demonstrations against a tax bill, the national rights watchdog said. Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets to commemorate last year's demonstrations, in which more than 60 people died, with police firing tear gas and water cannon to disperse them in the capital Nairobi, according to local media and a Reuters witness. Some protesters clashed with police, and the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said late on Wednesday that eight deaths had been reported across the country, all 'allegedly from gunshot wounds'. 'Over 400 casualties have been reported, including demonstrators, police officers and journalists,' KNCHR said in a statement shared on its official X account. The watchdog did not say who had shot the victims, noting heavy police deployment and 'allegations of excessive use of force, including rubber bullets, live ammunition and water cannon, resulting in numerous injuries'. Kenyan police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the KNCHR statement. An official at the capital's main Kenyatta National Hospital said the facility had received dozens of wounded people, '107 admitted, most with gunshot injuries', the source said, referring to rubber bullets and live rounds. He said no deaths had been reported at the hospital. National electricity provider Kenya Power said one of its security guards was shot dead during the protests while patrolling its headquarters in Nairobi. Large crowds were seen earlier heading in the direction of State House, the president's official residence, in scenes broadcast by Kenyan channel NTV before it and another broadcaster, KTN, were pulled off the air after defying an order to stop live broadcasts of the demonstrations. 'We have been switched off from all the signal broadcasters, now we are only live on YouTube and the website,' a senior official at NTV's parent Nation Media Group told Reuters. Both channels resumed broadcasts later on Wednesday after a court in Nairobi suspended the order issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya. The communications authority's order was condemned by the Kenya Editors Guild, which called it 'a gross violation of the Constitution.' Anger against police Protesters torched court facilities in Kikuyu town on the outskirts of Nairobi, Citizen TV reported. Flames and thick smoke billowed from the court building in a video posted on the broadcaster's X account. Isolated clashes were reported in the port city of Mombasa, according to NTV, with protests also in the towns of Kitengela, Kisii, Matuu and Nyeri. Although last year's protests faded after President William Ruto withdrew proposed tax hikes, public anger has remained over the use of excessive force by security agencies, with fresh demonstrations this month over the death of a blogger in police custody. Six people, including three police officers, were charged with murder on Tuesday over the killing of 31-year-old blogger and teacher, Albert Ojwang. All have pleaded not guilty. Ojwang's death has become a lightning rod for Kenyans still mourning those who perished in last year's demonstrations, blamed on security forces, against a backdrop of dozens of unexplained disappearances. 'We are fighting for the rights of our fellow youths and Kenyans and the people who died since June 25 … we want justice,' Lumumba Harmony, a protester, told Reuters in Nairobi. The unprecedented scenes on 25 June 2024, showing police firing at protesters as they broke through barriers to enter parliament, created the biggest crisis of Ruto's presidency and sparked alarm among Kenya's international allies. DM
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- The Citizen
Eight killed as deadly clashes erupt in Kenya on protest anniversary
At least eight people were killed and 400 injured as anti-government protests turned violent in Kenya. Protesters pelt a Kenya anti-riot police water canon with stones in downtown Nairobi on June 25, 2025 during a planned day of protest marking the first anniversary of the storming of the parliament. Marches in Kenya to mark a year since massive anti-government demos turned violent on Wednesday, with two killed and running battles between protesters and police, who flooded Nairobi's streets with tear gas and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire. (Photo by Tony KARUMBA / AFP) Marches in Kenya to mark a year since massive anti-government demos turned violent on Wednesday, with eight killed and at least 400 injured as protesters held running battles with police, who flooded Nairobi's streets with tear gas and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire. Initially peaceful commemorations descended into chaos as scattered groups ripped up flagstones to throw projectiles at security forces and chanted for the resignation of President William Ruto. The marches had been called for the anniversary of massive protests last year against tax rises that left at least 60 people dead and peaked when a huge crowd stormed parliament on June 25. 'We are marching against police brutality, against oppression by the government, against high taxation, everything that is going wrong in this country,' said Anthony, 25, who was also selling flags and did not want to give his full name. A coalition of rights groups said eight people died as protests were held in 23 counties. ALSO READ: Kenyan anniversary protests turn violent 'At least 400 others were treated, with 83 of them referred to specialized treatment for serious injuries,' the coalition, which includes Amnesty International and the Kenyan Medical Association, said in a statement. A hospital source in Matuu, a town around 100 kilometres (65 miles) from Nairobi, earlier told AFP that two people had died from gunshot wounds there, with local media reporting that police had opened fire. The government ordered TV and radio stations to halt live coverage of the protests, which gained momentum beyond the capital, including in the port city Mombasa. NetBlocks, a global internet tracker, said social media platform Telegram had been restricted. 'We are here as the young generation. We want a complete overhaul of the system, the system is rotten, the system is rogue,' said protester Florence Achala in Nairobi. ALSO READ: Kenyan court extends investigation into four filmmakers arrested for BBC documentary Protester attacked by motorbike-riding 'goons' Anger has flared over police brutality, particularly after a teacher was killed in custody earlier this month. A group of peaceful protesters was attacked last week by a gang of motorbike-riding 'goons', as they are known in Kenya, armed with whips and clubs and working in tandem with the police. Western embassies in Kenya, including those of Britain, Germany and the United States, criticised in a joint statement 'the use of hired 'goons' to infiltrate or disrupt peaceful gatherings'. The 'goons' were not clearly present on Wednesday but police used large amounts of tear gas and water cannons as they attempted to push back groups of protesters. Analyst and lawyer Javas Bigambo told AFP he was worried political groups would exploit the volatile mood to foster violence. ALSO READ: Motorbike-riding 'goons' attack Kenya protesters 'There is nothing good to celebrate about the events that happened last year,' he said. 'If we were serious about commemorating June 25th, it should be in solemnity, prayer and restraint.' Disillusioned by stagnation, corruption and high taxes There is deep resentment against Ruto, who came to power in 2022 promising rapid economic progress. Many are disillusioned by continued stagnation, corruption and high taxes, even after last year's protests forced Ruto to cancel the unpopular finance bill. His government has been at pains to avoid direct tax rises this year. But the frequent disappearances of government critics — rights groups have counted more than 80 since last year's protests, with dozens still missing — have led many to accuse Ruto of returning Kenya to the dark days of its dictatorship in the 1980s and 1990s. ALSO READ: Kenyan author and literary giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o dies Ruto has previously promised an end to abductions but was unapologetic in a speech on Tuesday, vowing to 'stand by' the police. – By: © Agence France-Presse
