According to local sources and eyewitnesses, tensions escalated when security forces clashed with demonstrators in major cities including Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa. Tear gas, live bullets, and water cannons were used to disperse crowds, while protesters reportedly retaliated by blocking roads, burning tires, and hurling stones.
Health officials confirmed that several hospitals were overwhelmed with casualties, most suffering from gunshot wounds, respiratory complications, and blunt force trauma. Human rights groups have condemned the excessive use of force, calling for an independent investigation into the incident.
The protests were driven by public frustration over inflation, unemployment, corruption, and what many view as a tone-deaf government. Demonstrators carried banners demanding reforms, economic relief, and justice for lives lost in previous rallies.
President William Ruto has appealed for calm and ordered a probe into the violence, but public outrage continues to swell. With emotions running high and the government under mounting pressure, Kenya stands at a critical crossroads — torn between calls for accountability and the urgent need for national unity.