In a stern address to the nation, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has confirmed that 42 people lost their lives and over 1,500 have been arrested following the deadly unrest that rocked Kenya during the June 25 and July 7 demonstrations.
Terming the chaos as “pure, premeditated criminality,” Murkomen said the violent events were not legitimate protests but orchestrated attempts to undermine public order and the Constitution. “What occurred was deliberate, dangerous, and deeply disturbing,” he stated.
Murkomen reported that nearly 600 people were injured in the unrest, including 496 police officers. “One life lost is one too many. We mourn every life lost and extend our deepest sympathies to the affected families,” he said.
The CS revealed that intelligence-led operations have resulted in the arrests of key masterminds, financiers, and perpetrators, who now face a range of charges including terrorism, murder, robbery with violence, sexual assault, arson, and attacks on infrastructure. Of the arrested, 50 individuals are under investigation by the Serious Crimes Investigations Unit, and 71 cases are being handled by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.
The violence also led to the destruction of 16 police stations and posts, leaving communities exposed and government operations severely disrupted. Notable incidents included the torching of Dagoretti and Olkalou police stations—where three suspects in custody were killed—and the looting and arson of supermarkets and private businesses in Naivasha, Meru, Eldoret, and other regions.
In a particularly harrowing account, rioters stormed an operating theatre at Kitengela Sub-County Hospital, halting an emergency caesarean section and endangering patients and staff. “Hospitals are places of refuge in our most vulnerable moments. This is an offence most foul,” Murkomen declared.
The Interior CS emphasized that accountability will extend to all, including law enforcement officers accused of excessive force. One police officer has already been arraigned for murder.
Murkomen’s remarks come as the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) released its own report, recording 38 deaths and over 130 injuries from the July 7 (Saba Saba) protests. Among the victims were four women and two children, including a 12-year-old girl shot while watching television at home in Kiambu.
The government has vowed to continue investigations into the political forces behind the unrest, signaling a firm stance against what it views as politically motivated destabilization.
