Kenya protests: 31 die in highest one-day death toll of year

The death toll from Kenya’s anti-government protests on Monday has surged to 31, marking the highest single-day toll since demonstrations began earlier this year, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

The report on Tuesday said another 107 people were injured and more than 500 were arrested amid widespread destruction of property, including supermarkets.

The figure did not include specifics and it was not clear whether the toll included police officers, who the report accused of working with armed gangs in the wake of violence.

Kenyans demanding better governance and removal of president 

Kenyans have been protesting for weeks to call for better governance and police accountability, as well as demanding the removal of President William Ruto over alleged corruption.

Kenyans yesterday took to the streets to demand political reforms on a day — July 7 — that has significance in history because of major pro-democracy protests that took place on the same date thirty-five years ago. 

The East African nation transitioned into a multiparty democracy from a one-party state with elections in 1992.

During protests yesterday, police blocked access to central Nairobi so people couldn’t rally in the city center, as they had done before.

Young Kenyans last year had briefly stormed the parliament in Nairobi during protests over planned tax hikes, which were ultimately withdrawn.

Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, on Tuesday urged that grievances leading to the protests are addressed, with his spokesperson saying Turk “renews his call for calm and restraint, and full respect for the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”