A total of 42 people lost their lives and over 1,500 were arrested during the June 25 and July 7 anti-government protests, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed on Tuesday. The protests, which were marked by violence and destruction, also left nearly 600 injured, among them 496 police officers.
In a press briefing, Murkomen condemned the unrest, calling it “pure, premeditated criminality,” and not genuine protests. He said the demonstrations were a politically driven attempt to destabilize public order and undermine the Constitution.
Murkomen revealed that security agencies, through intelligence-led operations, had arrested several suspected masterminds, financiers, and instigators. Those apprehended face serious charges including terrorism, murder, robbery with violence, and sexual assault.
“Out of these unprecedented attacks, close to 1,500 people have been arrested countrywide. Of these, 50 individuals are under investigation by the Serious Crimes Investigations Unit and 71 by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit,” he said.
The CS further detailed extensive damage to police infrastructure, with 16 police stations and posts either destroyed or set ablaze. In one incident, rioters torched Olkalou Police Station, resulting in the deaths of three suspects in custody and the destruction of vehicles, motorcycles, and critical documents.
Dagoretti Police Post and Kikuyu Police Station were also targeted, with five firearms stolen during the chaos—one of which was later used in a robbery in Naivasha.
Private property and businesses were not spared. In Naivasha, Powerstar Supermarket was looted and torched, while in Meru, attackers set fire to Magunas and Selenite supermarkets. Dozens of suspects have since been arraigned.
Murkomen also condemned an attack on Kitengela Sub-County Hospital, where rioters stormed the operating theatre, disrupting a caesarean section and terrorising patients.
While the government recorded 42 deaths, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported 38 deaths and 130 injuries from the Saba Saba Day protests alone.
Murkomen assured the public that both perpetrators and law enforcement officers accused of using excessive force would face legal action.
