Latest news with #SabaSaba
First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Kenya: Ruto Warns Protesters Against Plotting A Coup After "Saba Saba" March
Kenya: Ruto Warns Protesters Against Plotting A Coup After "Saba Saba" March | Firstpost Africa Kenya: Ruto Warns Protesters Against Plotting A Coup After "Saba Saba" March | Firstpost Africa | N18G Kenya is facing a wave of deadly unrest as anti-government protests intensify across the country. Sparked by public anger over tax hikes, economic hardship, and police brutality, the demonstrations have grown into broader calls for President William Ruto's resignation. Ruto has warned against attempts to 'overthrow' the government through 'unconstitutional means,' claiming the recent violent protests, which killed dozens, were sponsored. Security forces have responded with heavy force, leading to widespread criticism from rights groups. Over 500 people have been arrested, with reports of forced disappearances and police collusion with armed gangs further fuelling public outrage. See More
DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Kenya's Gen Z protestors face trauma amid ongoing rallies – DW – 07/10/2025
As Kenya's youth keep pushing for political and social change, they risk paying a steep personal price. From clashes with police to constant fear of death, emotional trauma and anxiety have become their new realities. On June 25, 2025, Wendy, a young Kenyan woman, joined hundreds of demonstrators in Nairobi to protest the death of Albert Ojwang — a 31-year-old blogger and teacher who had just recently died in police custody. It was a bold decision on her part, one that came with much fear and uncertainty amid a growing government crackdown on dissent. "Initially, I wasn't going to show up because I was a little bit scared. They said they were targeting women this time," Wendy told DW. In the end, she returned home safely. But others didn't. At least 19 people were killed nationwide during the protests held on that day, whihc coincided with the first anniversary of last year's storming of Kenya's parliament. Driven by widespread frustration over police brutality, economic hardship, and what many see as a failing government under President William Ruto, these demonstrations, which largely are led by young opposition voices who self-identify as Gen Z, have since become a defining feature of the political landscape of Kenya. But showing resistance can also take a toll on mental health: "I am completely terrified most of the time when I'm getting out of the house to go for the protests," Wendy explains, highlighting a growing sense of anxiety among young people in the country. Alex Mutua, another young protester, described the fear that now accompanies every demonstration and political rally, saying that "(e)very time I go out to fight for my country, I don't know if I'll be targeted by the police." "Going out and being part of that protest has been a really scary ordeal, considering how the police are handling the protests, he added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Irene Mwari, a university student and regular protester in Nairobi, agrees that the emotional price that young people have to pay keeps growing. "Once I go to a protest in Kenya, I don't really know whether I'll come back home," Mwari told DW. Yet she feels driven by a desire to speak out against what she calls poor governance, even though each protest can become a gamble with her life. Despite promising her parents that she would stay away from future demonstrations, Mwari admits she has no intention of keeping her word. "At the end of the day, we are the ones who have to live in Kenya with such bad governance. So, if we don't fight for a better future, I don't know who will." The protests have grown increasingly dangerous over time. Kenya's National Commission on Human Rights reported that 31 people were killed during the July 7 "Saba Saba' protests alone — making this the deadliest single day of rallies this year. More than 100 were injured, more than 500 arrested; countless supermarkets and other businesses were looted or destroyed. The commission has accused police of using live ammunition and collaborating with armed gangs to suppress these protests, and Mwari agrees. "If you're lucky enough you escape being shot. The government has used guns to disrupt peaceful protests. If they don't beat you up, you'll get robbed in broad daylight." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Mental health professionals in Kenya meanwhile also stress that the protests are no longer just a political matter — they've become deeply personal, and therefore are emotionally draining for many. "We are experiencing collective trauma," says Kenyan psychologist Benta Wambui. "Many young protesters are experiencing chronic stress and anxiety because of repeated exposure to violence. There is also emotional exhaustion, and sometimes there can be burnout and a growing sense of hopelessness," she adds, underscoring the fact that the prolonged nature of the standoff between civilians and authorities, now lasting well over a year, can make such symptoms worse. Geoffrey Mboya, a youth activist and community organizer, has been on the frontlines of the demonstrations from the beginning, initially getting involved in opposition movements two years ago already. He says the emotional toll has changed him permanently: "[The protests have] affected me in ways that I don't think I'll ever fully be able to articulate," he told DW. "I have lost part of myself." Wambui notes that even those who are not physically present at protests are affected by the overall mood. "There's also the weight of trauma and loss on Kenyans as a collective. So, we witnessed state brutality, people losing peers, and people losing family. Whether you knew these people or not, this can trigger grief and other PTSD symptoms as well as emotional numbness," she explained. But despite the trauma, many young Kenyans say they won't stop protesting. "Having faith that the protests will bring change is what keeps me going," says Mutua — a sentiment echoed also by Wendy: "I really want a country that works, a country that works for me and my daughter." However, she also admits that she's emotionally drained: "Some days I feel so defeated. Sometimes even feel almost useless." Mboya meanwhile says he is fighting two battles at the same time: one against the government, and one with himself. "The revolution needs a whole lot of people to be a support system. We need healing to fight well," he told DW, sharing that he has started going to therapy to address the traumatic experiences he has witnessed. "Therapy doesn't make the pain go away, but it helps you carry it," he explains. Wambui agrees that finding emotional support is essential for protesters to be able to continue their fight in a healthy manner: "Grief spaces can be held where people can collectively process their trauma together and have peer support systems, where people can come together and talk about the things that are ongoing, whether that's virtual or in-person," she said. She also calls for broader mental health education: "And it's also important to have mental health literacy amongst the population for them to be able to recognize triggers, to recognize burnout, to recognize all these things, and to be able to get the help that they need."
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
‘Don't kill them, break their legs': Kenyan president to police on how to control protesters
Kenya's president on Wednesday broke his silence on recent anti-government protests that left dozens dead, urging police to 'break the legs" of those who stole and burned property during the demonstrations. read more Riot police patrol on a road covered with rocks, during demonstrations to mark the historic 1990 Saba Saba (a Swahili word that means seven seven) protests for democratic reforms in the Kangemi slum of Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo) Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday said police should shoot protesters in the leg to incapacitate them if they are found vandalising businesses, days after 31 people were killed during anti-government demonstrations. 'Anyone who goes to burn other people's property, someone like that should be shot in the leg, and go to the hospital on his way to court,' Ruto said in a speech. 'They shouldn't kill the person but they should hit the legs to break them.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His remarks follow violent protests on Monday in Nairobi and across 17 of Kenya's 47 counties, during which police used tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition to disperse crowds. Looting and arson targeted supermarkets, businesses and hospitals. More from World Pakistan President Zardari being asked to resign 'malicious rumour', says minister The demonstrations were sparked by the death of a blogger in police custody last month and further escalated after a civilian was shot at close range by police during protests. A total of 50 people have died in the past two weeks during two waves of demonstrations. On Monday, police erected roadblocks on all roads leading to the city center in the capital, Nairobi, blocking motorists and pedestrians deemed not to be in essential work. Police clashed with protesters on the outskirts of the city and in 17 of 47 counties across the country, leaving 31 people dead and more than 100 injured. More than 500 others were arrested. Ruto on Wednesday claimed the discontent was politically motivated and said that he would not allow destruction of property. 'You can call me whatever names you want to call me, but I will make sure there is peace and stability in Kenya by all means,' Ruto said. UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk on Tuesday urged the Kenyan government to address the root causes of the unrest. Civil society groups have also called for restraint by police. Five officers have been charged in connection with the blogger's death and the close-range shooting. Deputy police inspector general Eliud Langat, who had complained about the blogger's posts accusing him of corruption, has stepped aside pending investigation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Protesters waging war on Kenya
Kenyan protesters who attack security installations and businesses are terrorists waging war against the government, the East African nation's leader, William Ruto, has said, ordering police to shoot such individuals in the legs. Ruto's remarks come amid a wave of violent anti-government protests that have swept across Kenya in recent weeks, with human rights groups reporting over 30 deaths and damage to property. 'Such criminal acts are a declaration of war,' the president said on Wednesday, instructing police not to kill 'anyone caught burning another person's business or property,' but instead that they 'should be shot in the leg, hospitalized, and later taken to court.' 'This country will not be destroyed by a few people who are impatient and who want to have a change of government using unconstitutional means. We're going to use whatever means that is available to make sure that we stabilize the country,' he said. At least 31 people were killed during Monday's protests alone, according to the latest figures released by the state-run Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). The demonstrations marked the 35th anniversary of Saba Saba – Swahili for 'Seven Seven' – a historic July 7, 1990 uprising against single-party rule, now commemorated annually as a symbol of resistance to repression and economic injustice. In a statement on Tuesday, the KNCHR said 107 people were wounded, 532 arrested, and two others reported missing. The agency 'strongly' condemned all human rights violations and urged 'accountability from all responsible parties, including police, civilians, and all other stakeholders.' The Kenyan National Police Service (NPS) said on Monday that 63 people – 52 police officers and 11 civilians – were injured during the demonstrations, which it claimed were infiltrated by 'criminals.' At least 19 vehicles – 12 belonging to the police, three to government agencies, and four to civilians – were damaged, according to the NPS. The UN rights office has called for independent investigations into the 'use of force' by Kenyan police against anti-government protesters. Late last month, 19 people were killed nationwide during demonstrations marking the first anniversary of last year's youth-led protests against a controversial finance bill – later withdrawn by the government – and the custodial death of Albert Ojwang, a blogger and teacher, according to the KNCHR. Six people, including three policemen, were charged with murder in connection to Ojwang's death, although they all pleaded not guilty. In response to Ruto's crackdown order, Kenya's former vice president, Rigathi Gachagua, told him to 'relax,' as no one wants to remove the 'government unconstitutionally.' 'We want to face you on the ballot in August 2027, so just relax,' Gachagua said, and threatened to take Ruto to the International Criminal Court. Gachagua was elected alongside Ruto in 2022 but was impeached last year on charges of corruption, inciting ethnic divisions, and fueling anti-government unrest.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Shoot them in the leg': Kenyan president's anti-protest rhetoric hardens as death toll rises
Kenya's president, William Ruto, has ordered police to shoot protesters targeting businesses in the legs, in a sharp intensification of his rhetoric days after 31 people were killed in nationwide anti-government demonstrations. 'They shouldn't kill them but they should shoot their legs so they break and they can go to hospital on their way to court,' Ruto said in the capital, Nairobi. In his toughest remarks yet about the wave of protests over economic stagnation, corruption and police brutality that have swept the east African country, he also accused his political opponents of orchestrating the demonstrations and said some of those out on the streets were waging a 'war' on the state. 'Those who attack our police, those who attack our security men and women, those who attack our security installations, including police stations, that is a declaration of war, that is terrorism,' he said. 'We are going to deal with you firmly. We cannot have a nation that is run by terror. We cannot have a nation that is governed by violence. 'This country will not be destroyed by a few people who are impatient and who want to have a change of government using unconstitutional means. It is not going to happen.' In the latest protests, on Monday, Kenyans took to the streets to mark Saba Saba (Seven Seven), the day on 7 July 1990 when Kenyans rose up to demand a return to multiparty democracy after years of autocratic rule under Daniel arap Moi. Thirty-one people were killed on Monday and 107 injured, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, bringing the toll to 51 over the past two months, according to Agence France-Presse. Unicef condemned the killing of a 12-year-old girl by a stray bullet while she was at home in Kiambu county, nine miles from the capital, as well as the arrest of children during the protests. 'Children must be protected from harm at all times and under all circumstances,' the UN agency said. The demonstrations began in June last year as a youth-led movement against a proposed tax increase, and quickly widened to encompass calls for reform and Ruto's resignation. The government was forced to withdraw the finance bill that contained the proposed rises, and Ruto dismissed nearly all of his cabinet in an attempt to control the situation. Police killings and abductions have done little to assuage public anger. The death in police custody last month of a teacher who had reportedly criticised a senior police official on social media, and the police shooting of a man at close range during a subsequent protest, has refocused attention on the security forces. On occasion, protests have degenerated into looting and violence by some protesters, with thousands of businesses destroyed. Ruto was elected on a promise to improve the wellbeing of young and ordinary Kenyans, but many feel he has failed to deliver his economic pledges and has responded in a tone-deaf manner to protesters' demands. Ruto's latest comments echo an order to police from the interior minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, two weeks ago to shoot people who approach police stations 'with criminal intent'. Opposition leaders, including Ruto's former deputy and ally Rigathi Gachagua, have accused the government of unleashing 'hostile' state-sponsored violence against its citizens. On Tuesday, they called on the public to 'boycott all businesses, services and institutions owned, operated or publicly linked to this regime and its enablers'. Ruto's allies have accused Gachagua of bankrolling violent protests, which he has denied. Gachagua also dismissed Ruto's claims of a plot to overthrow the government, saying on Wednesday: 'We want to remove you … through the ballot in 2027.' Observers say that Ruto has to endear himself both to a disillusioned public and to younger Kenyans – a strong-willed and defiant generation born after the restoration of multiparty democracy who benefited from free primary education that started in 2003, and who have been leading the push for change since last year. The UN said it was 'deeply troubled' over the deaths during this week's protests and that 'intentional lethal force by law enforcement officers, including with firearms, should only be used when strictly necessary to protect life from an imminent threat'. Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
