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Kenya under scrutiny as UN criticises crackdown
A riot police officer detains a protester during the anti-government demonstrations dubbed the “Saba Saba People’s March” in the Kangemi area of Nairobi, Kenya, on July 7, 2025.
Kenya has come under intense global scrutiny over persistent violent anti-government protests and deaths, which analysts warn could extinguish the fragile optimism in business sentiment after a year of economic uncertainty.
Bloody protests on Monday left at least 11 civilians dead and more than 567 arrested as the country marked the Saba Saba Day — an annual pro-democracy march to commemorate the anniversary of the July 7, 1990 demonstrations which led to a return to multiparty democracy.
The Kenya Police Service on Tuesday came under global spotlight for use of live ammunition on protesters, in addition to tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets.
The killings, as per police reports, happened outside of the Nairobi CBD after the police blocked main roads and restricted access to the heart of the capital, largely to those deemed to provide essential services.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said he was “deeply troubled” by the loss of lives as well as looting and destruction of public and private property following protests in at least 17 counties, including capital Nairobi.
Mr Türk renewed his June 25 call for “calm and restraint, and full respect for the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly”.
“The High Commissioner repeats his call for all reported killings and other alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law, including with respect to use of force, to be promptly, thoroughly, independently and transparently investigated. Those responsible must be held to account,” the Geneva-headquartered UN Human Rights Office wrote in the statement.
“Under international human rights law, intentional lethal force by law enforcement officers, including with firearms, should only be used when strictly necessary to protect life from an imminent threat.”
Social unrest over renewed street protests has partly seen Stanbic Kenya Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)— a measure of monthly private sector activity such output, new orders and employment —fall over the past two months, ending a seven-month streak of improving business.
Despite contraction in economic activity in June, optimism over future deals was highest since May 2024, with 18 percent of businesses anticipating output growth over the next 12 months.
“This renewed optimism will likely be short-lived due to the renewed outbreak of deadly protests. Time and again, protests of this magnitude have dealt a heavy blow to business and investor confidence,” Oxford Economics’ political economist Jervin Naidoo and senior economist Shani Smit-Lengton wrote in a note Tuesday following Saba Saba protests in Kenya.
“The crackdown has once again put Kenya under scrutiny over public freedoms and extrajudicial police killings, especially given recent events.”
Kenyan youth have since last year taken to streets to protest against poor governance, high taxation, lack of job opportunities and corruption in government.
The demonstrations, which were initially triggered by a tax bill in June 2024 which was later withdrawn, have persisted with President William Ruto’s administration coming under fire over police brutality and unexplained disappearances of government critics in the wake of anti-government protests.
More than 60 persons were killed last year, at least 16 last month and more than 10 on Monday, with autopsy results pointing to live bullets as the cause of most deaths.
“It is essential that legitimate grievances at the root of these protests are addressed,” read a statement released by Mr Türk’s office.
The UN Human Rights Office has offered to support Kenyan authorities “in addressing the challenges, including ongoing investigations into deaths and violation of human rights.
