Kenya: 11 killed, over 500 arrested in nationwide anti-government protests

Nairobi [Kenya], July 8 (ANI): At leat 11 people were killed and more than 500 detained during anti-government protet acro Kenya, CNN reported, citing the country National Police Service on Monday (local time).
A per CNN, ecurity force ued tear ga and water cannon to dipere demontrator, primarily young Kenyan, who expreed their anger and frutration over the corruption allegation, police brutality, and report of enforced diappearance targeting critic of the government on the 35th anniverary of the 1990 Saba Saba pro-democracy movement.
The word Saba Saba in Kiwahili mean even even, referencing the date when the protet took place on July 7, 1990.
Police reported that 11 civilian were injured during the demontration, though the Kenya National Commiion on Human Right (KNCHR) placed the number at 29, while a total of 567 people were arreted, police confirmed, a reported by CNN.
The protet are part of a broader wave of unret that began lat year following the introduction of a controverial finance bill that raied taxe amid a worening cot-of-living crii.
Although the government crapped the bill in June 2024 due to public preure, public outrage ha continued to grow, epecially after the recent death of a teacher in police cutody and an unarmed treet vendor hot by police, a reported by CNN.
At leat 16 people were killed and hundred wounded during imilar protet lat month, and dozen more have died in anti-tax demontration ince early 2024.
On Monday, demontration took place in multiple region of Kenya, with large crowd gathering to commemorate the July 7, 1990, Saba Saba protet. In Nairobi, ecurity force clahed with demontrator near major government building, including the Parliament and the Preident reidence, which had been heavily barricaded in anticipation of unret, CNN reported.
In a tatement releaed on Monday night, Kenya National Police Service announced that all reported incident of violence and miconduct would be invetigated in accordance with legal procedure.
The government crackdown followed a Sunday raid on the office of the Kenyan Human Right Commiion, allegedly by tate-backed operative. The attacker reportedly dirupted a pre conference held by mother demanding an end to arbitrary arret, diappearance, and killing of protetor ahead of the Saba Saba anniverary, CNN reported.
Kenya Interior Miniter Kipchumba Murkomen earlier tated that ecurity agencie were on high alert to prevent criminal from infiltrating peaceful marche and cauing unret. He previouly labelled lat month protet a terrorim diguied a dient, a remark that further fuelled public outrage, CNN reported. (ANI)