Leading human rights organizations have intensified demands for accountability after new footage identified Kenyan security forces involved in the deadly crackdown on anti-tax protests last June. The renewed calls come in the wake of a BBC Africa Eye documentary, which pinpointed the uniformed officers who fatally shot three protesters outside parliament during demonstrations against a controversial finance bill.
Amnesty International and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) urged swift legal action against the officers named in the investigation, stressing the need for transparent justice.
The Kenyan government responded defensively, with spokesperson Isaac Mwaura criticizing the documentary as unbalanced. While acknowledging the protesters’ legitimate grievances, he warned against descending into “anarchy” and questioned the BBC’s portrayal of events. “They downplayed the damage to parliament,” Mwaura said, while asserting that the police oversight authority is actively probing the incident.
The protest on 25 June 2024, which erupted after lawmakers approved steep tax increases, left at least 65 people dead according to Amnesty, although the government has put the figure at 42. The BBC report claims three protesters were shot by a police officer and a soldier near the entrance to parliament. The wider security response included reported cases of disappearances, torture, and mass arrests.
The documentary’s release has sparked renewed public anger. Online users and opposition figures demanded justice and greater accountability, with some accusing President William Ruto’s administration of sanctioning excessive force. The KHRC went as far as calling the killings “state-sanctioned murder,” holding the president personally responsible.
Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), in a rare update, said it is investigating 60 protest-related deaths, of which 41 involved gunshots. Twenty-two investigations have been completed and two cases are now in court. The authority also reported over 230 injuries from the June protests.
Calls for a public inquiry are growing, with activists urging citizens to sign petitions demanding justice. Meanwhile, the Kenya Defence Forces said they have not received any formal investigation requests regarding their personnel’s conduct.
In parliament, the documentary divided lawmakers. Some, like MP George Kaluma, called for the BBC to be banned, accusing it of destabilizing the country. Others, such as Senator Edwin Sifuna, defended the report, saying it reflected painful truths that must be confronted.
Though the BBC had invited government officials to participate in the film, authorities allegedly pressured organizers to cancel a planned screening in Nairobi. The documentary remains available online and continues to stir debate across the country.