Latest news with #antigovernment
Irish Times
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Kenya: Most deaths during antigovernment protests caused by police, Amnesty says
Sixteen people died during nationwide antigovernment protests in Kenya on Wednesday, most of them killed by police, the head of Amnesty Kenya said, a year after deadly demonstrations against a tax Bill culminated in the storming of parliament. 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 cannons to disperse them in the capital Nairobi, according to local media and a Reuters witness. Some protesters clashed with police, and 16 people were 'verified dead', Amnesty Kenya's executive director Irungu Houghton said, adding that the figures were verified by the global rights watchdog and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). 'Most were killed by police,' Mr Houghton said, and at least five of the victims had been shot dead. READ MORE The government-funded KNCHR earlier said 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 noted heavy police deployment and 'allegations of excessive use of force, including rubber bullets, live ammunition and water cannons, resulting in numerous injuries'. Kenyan police spokesman Muchiri Nyaga declined to comment on the statements by Amnesty Kenya or KNCHR. State-funded body Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said in a statement at least 61 people were arrested during the protests. An official at the capital's main Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) said the facility had received dozens of wounded people. There were 107 admitted, most with gunshot injuries, the source said, referring to rubber bullets and live rounds. He added that no deaths had been reported at KNH. National electricity provider Kenya Power said one of its security guards was shot dead 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. Both channels resumed broadcasts later on Wednesday after a court in Nairobi suspended the order issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya. 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. Mr Ojwang's death has become a lightning rod for Kenyans still mourning those who died at 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 25th... we want justice,' Lumumba Harmony, a protester in Nairobi, said. The unprecedented scenes on June 25th, 2024, showing police firing at protesters as they broke through barriers to enter parliament, created the biggest crisis of Mr Ruto's presidency and sparked alarm among Kenya's international allies. – Reuters
Irish Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Clashes between Kenyan police and anti-government protesters leave three dead
Three people are reported to have died in clashes between the police and crowds of people who gathered on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of antigovernment demonstrations in which dozens were killed. At least two people lost their lives and six others were injured in Matuu, east of the capital, Nairobi, the Kenya Human Rights Commission said. Protests were staged in at least a dozen towns, with thousands taking to the streets. Anti-riot police fired tear gas at relatives of those killed in June 2024 who had planned to lay wreaths at parliament in the capital. They also used water cannons to disperse protesters who lit bonfires and chanted 'one term', a reference to president William Ruto's expected bid to seek re-election in 2027. READ MORE 'Monitors are reporting that police are increasingly resorting to violence against the demonstrators,' the rights commission said. Nairobi-based broadcasters NTV reported that a protester was killed in Ol Kalou, north of Nairobi, while 13 others who were injured were treated in a hospital in the town of Eldoret. The Communication Authority ordered Kenyan media to immediately halt live coverage of the demonstrations and threatened regulatory action if they did not comply. The Kenya Editors Guild called the directive a violation of the constitution and 'an affront to press freedom and public accountability'. Two of the country's biggest broadcasters, Nation Media Group and Standard Media Group, said the regulator switched off their transmission signals, but they continued to screen footage of the demonstrations via YouTube. Internet monitoring service NetBlocks reported restrictions to messaging platform Telegram. Most businesses remained shut in Nairobi and Kenya Railways suspended commuter services to the outskirts of the city. The police barricaded roads leading to parliament and the president's residence to prevent planned marches. Protesters in the port city of Mombasa lit candles to commemorate the deaths of the more than 60 people who were killed when the police used live bullets to disperse crowds last year. The authorities have only prosecuted two cases over the 2024 deaths, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority said. 'A year after, nothing has happened,' opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka said in remarks broadcast on NTV. People 'are rightfully angry.' Last year's protests were sparked by the National Treasury's plans to raise taxes and introduce new ones. These culminated in thousands of people storming parliament on June 25 – which is when most of the fatalities occurred. While Mr Ruto scrapped the planned tax hikes, his government subsequently reintroduced many of these, raising public ire. Other grievances with his administration include police brutality, rampant corruption, the misappropriation of public funds and high living costs. The protests are unlikely to be destabilising or sustained, though these may continue eroding support for Ruto, Eurasia Group said in a research note. 'Ruto's political capital remains weak and ongoing controversial police violence will only weaken his political standing,' the global risk consultancy said on Wednesday. – Bloomberg
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Kenyans take to the streets for protest anniversary
Published On 25 Jun 2025 25 Jun 2025 Thousands have taken to the streets in Kenya to mark a year since antigovernment protests culminated in the storming of Parliament, despite fears they would be confronted by state-backed gangs and police violence. According to rights groups, at least 60 people were killed last year by security forces during weeks of protests over tax increases and the dire economic situation facing young Kenyans, reaching a climax when thousands stormed Parliament on June 25. Activists and families of victims had called for peaceful anniversary marches, but some instead urged people to 'occupy State House' – a reference to the official residence of President William Ruto – and many schools and businesses were closed amid fears of unrest. Police blocked main roads leading to the capital's business district, and government buildings were barricaded with razor wire. The marches were largely peaceful early on Wednesday, with protesters – mostly young men – waving Kenyan flags, roses, and placards bearing pictures of those killed last year, while chanting 'Ruto must go'. In Nairobi, there were signs of violence, with some protesters throwing stones and police firing tear gas. Protests were also reported in Mombasa and several other counties. Anger has intensified over police brutality, especially after a teacher was killed in custody earlier this month. A group of peaceful protesters was also attacked last week by a gang of motorbike-riding 'goons', as they are known in Kenya, armed with whips and clubs and acting in tandem with the police.
Al Jazeera
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Antigovernment protests in Bolivia leave multiple people dead
At least four people have been killed in antigovernment demonstrations in Bolivia, where supporters of former President Evo Morales have clashed with state forces as tensions rise ahead of upcoming elections. On Thursday, Justice Minister Cesar Siles identified the four people killed as first responders, and a state news agency reported that three were police officers and one was a firefighter. 'There are already four officers who have lost their lives,' Siles told reporters in La Paz, saying some had been shot. This week's protests have largely centred on frustrations over Bolivia's floundering economy and Morales's inability to run in the presidential election on August 17. The protests are most active in rural areas, where support for Morales is most concentrated. A trade union organiser who served as president from 2006 to 2019, Morales is considered Bolivia's first Indigenous leader and a champion for eliminating poverty. But his three terms as president were marred by accusations of increasingly authoritarian tendencies. In 2016, voters turned down a constitutional amendment that would have allowed Morales to run for a fourth consecutive term, but Morales then petitioned the courts to allow him to run anyway. He was successful, but his candidacy in the 2019 presidential race — and accusations of fraud — sparked a political crisis that saw him temporarily flee the country. In recent years, however, Bolivian courts have repeatedly upheld a two-term limit for the presidency and denied Morales a chance to run in the 2025 race. Morales, meanwhile, has accused the government of violating his rights, and his supporters have recently blocked roads and skirmished with state security. The tensions have been exacerbated by divisions within the ruling Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party, which Morales formerly led. Morales left the party last year after a falling-out with his former ally, President Luis Arce, over economic issues and Arce's re-election ambitions. Last month, Arce ultimately dropped out of the 2025 race, citing the schism among MAS voters. Still, he has accused Morales of attempting to foment a 'coup' against his government. 'We can't call these civilian protests any more. We are talking about paramilitary groups, groups that carry weapons, and we have to respond firmly,' Siles, the justice minister, said. Local media have reported that tanks have been sent to Llallagua, where the protests are said to be most intense. 'Nobody travels on these roads any more, and nobody works normally. It really harms us,' restaurant owner Marlene Poma told the news agency Reuters. In a social media post on Thursday, Morales said the crisis was the result of 'inadequate government policies and the destruction of our economic model'. He warned that, without a change, the country would continue towards 'total collapse'. Bolivia's electoral tribunal ruled last week that leftist Senate leader and Morales ally Andronico Rodriguez could run in the upcoming presidential election after being previously barred from doing so on a technicality. In addition, the tribunal once again affirmed Morales would not be in the running come August. But the exclusion of Morales, who oversaw robust economic development during his presidency, sparked anger among his loyal base of supporters. And Morales has pledged to continue his fight to be on the ballot. Bolivia currently struggles with high inflation and low currency reserves, and many Morales supporters blame the Arce administration for the lack of development in the country's once-prosperous energy sector.
