A recent report by the Kenya Freedom Index reveals that protests across Kenya from 2020 to 2025 have led to significant human costs, including 138 fatalities, 1,227 injuries, and 2,128 arrests.

The year 2025 marked the deadliest period within the six-year span, with 70 deaths attributed to protest-related incidents. This figure surpasses the 54 deaths recorded during June and July 2024, a period characterised by intense demonstrations led largely by Generation Z activists.

Impact on Civilians

The index highlights that the casualties were not limited to protesters alone. Ordinary residents, shopkeepers, bystanders, children, and passersby were among those affected by police actions during demonstrations. For example:

  • Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, a 22-year-old mask vendor in Nairobi’s CBD, was fatally shot by police on June 17, 2025, and later died at Kenyatta National Hospital.
  • Bridgit Njoki, a 12-year-old girl, was killed by a stray bullet that penetrated her home during the Saba Saba protests on July 7, 2025.
  • Fred Wamale Wanyonyi, a security guard at a Nairobi mall, was also killed on June 25, 2025.

Injuries and Arrests

June 25, 2025, was identified as the most injurious day of protest within the dataset, with 58 gunshot wounds recorded across two major protest periods. Other injuries included those caused by teargas canisters and physical assault.

Arrests peaked notably on July 7, 2025, during the Saba Saba protests, reflecting the scale of police crackdowns.

Challenges for Human Rights Monitors

The index also documents attacks on medics, journalists, and civil society workers involved in protests. Medics have been subjected to teargas and gunfire while treating the injured, journalists have faced arrests and equipment confiscation, and human rights monitors have been detained and intimidated.

Data Sources and Context

The Kenya Freedom Index bases its findings on data from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), Amnesty International Kenya, and the Ministry of Interior. It uses the highest reported figures when sources overlap to avoid undercounting.

Grounded in Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, the index covers various forms of public demonstrations, including marches, sit-ins, strikes, and go-slows.

The report underscores the urgent need for accountability and justice for victims, as well as the importance of safeguarding citizens' rights to peaceful protest.