A bystander was shot at close range by a police officer during fresh protests in Kenya’s capital on Tuesday, sparking widespread outrage and calls for justice, as tensions over police brutality and the death of a man in custody continued to rise.
Clashes erupted in Nairobi’s central business district as protesters marking the anniversary of last year’s Gen Z-led demonstrations gathered to condemn police violence and demand accountability.
The rally, which began peacefully, quickly descended into chaos when hundreds of men wielding whips and clubs—locally referred to as “goons”—attacked demonstrators. Many were seen arriving on motorbikes and appeared to receive protection from security forces.
Police responded by firing tear gas at protesters, who retaliated by hurling stones and setting two motorbikes ablaze. As businesses hurriedly shut their doors, footage circulated on social media showing a police officer shooting an unarmed bystander at point-blank range in the head.
The victim, a street vendor selling face masks, survived the initial injury but was in critical condition. “We handed him over to Kenyatta National Hospital, and he was taken to the ICU. He was very critical. He was still breathing,” said Vincent Ochieng, a disaster recovery officer with the Kenya Red Cross.
Kenya’s police service issued a statement acknowledging the incident, saying the officer who fired the anti-riot shotgun had been arrested. While it did not directly deny coordination with the armed civilian group, it stated that it “does not condone such unlawful groupings”.
The government had sought to avoid unrest this year, especially after last year’s protests over unpopular tax increases spiralled into weeks of unrest in June and July 2024.
The latest finance bill avoided further tax hikes, but fresh anger was ignited following the death of 31-year-old teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody earlier this month.
Ojwang’s death has become a rallying cry for protestors, who are demanding the resignation of a senior officer allegedly linked to the incident. Tensions remain high as rights groups raise alarms over increasing police violence.
Last year’s protests reached their peak on 25 June, when demonstrators stormed Parliament while lawmakers debated the contentious finance bill. Human rights organisations report that at least 60 people were killed during the 2024 protests, with dozens more arbitrarily detained in the days that followed.
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