The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) announced on Tuesday that 31 people were killed during Monday’s nationwide anti-government protests, more than tripling its earlier reported toll of 10.
The KNCHR also reported two forced disappearances in the wake of the marches commemorating a 1990 uprising against autocratic rule in the east African nation.
Clashes between protesters and police had erupted on the fringes of the capital Nairobi, with the KNCHR accusing the police of cooperating with armed gangs in the wake of the violence.
Kenyan President William Ruto warned on Wednesday against attempts to “overthrow” the government through “unconstitutional means,” claiming recent violent protests were sponsored.
“They want to start chaos, organize protests, burn people’s property, bring disaster so as to overthrow the government before 2027... You cannot tell us that you want to organize chaos to overthrow the government!” Ruto said in Swahili, addressing supporters in the capital Nairobi.
“You cannot sponsor violence and go scot-free,” he added, saying any attacks on the police would be seen as a “declaration of war!”
Monday's marches marked Saba Saba day -- meaning Seven Seven -- which celebrates the date when Kenyans rose up to demand a return to multi-party democracy on July 7, 1990 after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi.
Besides the 31 dead and two disappearances, the commission said on Tuesday that it had counted 532 arrests and 107 people wounded.
"The KNCHR strongly condemns all Human Rights violations and urges accountability from all responsible parties' including police, civilians and all other stakeholders," the commission said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
The commission, which is an independent public institution, had on Monday evening given a toll of 10 dead and 29 wounded, but did not give further details.
Wave after wave of protests, mainly led by young people angry at the state of the economy, corruption and police brutality, have swept across Kenya since June 2024 when proposed tax rises triggered widespread anger.
Those have been met with harsh repression from the police.
Tuesday's toll takes the number of people dead in the protests since they began last year to more than 100.
