Kenyan police shoot unarmed bystander in broad daylight amid protests

Police have sparked widespread anger across a nation of 55 million after a horrific shooting of an unarmed man in broad daylight.

Security forces and hundreds of men armed with whips and clubs clashed with protesters in Kenya on Tuesday, with a police officer’s shooting of an unarmed bystander triggering widespread anger.

Tensions were already high in the east African country as it marks a year since massive Gen Z-led protests over the economy, and fresh demonstrations have been sparked by the death of a man in police custody earlier this month.

In Nairobi’s business district, the epicentre of last year’s demonstrations, small groups of protesters gathered on Tuesday, initially peacefully, to call for an end to police brutality.

But they were quickly attacked by hundreds of men on motorbikes, known in Kenya as “goons”, armed with makeshift weapons, said AFP journalists at the scene.

As shop owners hastily closed their stores, police actively protected the armed men and fired tear gas at protesters, who responded by throwing stones and burning at least two of their motorbikes, the AFP reporters saw.

“The goons attacked us. They cornered us and beat us with whips and the police were just watching them do it,” Hanifa Adan, one of the leading voices from last year’s protests, told AFP.

There was outrage after videos circulated of a police officer shooting a bystander at point-blank range in the head, which was witnessed by AFP journalists.

The man was stopped by police. Photo: AFP

He was then shot from close range. Photo: AFP

He survived but we've blurred the headwound. Photo: AFP

The man, who had been selling face masks, was still alive despite the severe injury.

“We handed him over to Kenyatta National Hospital and he was taken to the ICU. He was very critical. He was still breathing,” Vincent Ochieng, a disaster recovery officer for the Kenya Red Cross, told AFP.

While the police did not directly deny any co-operation with the armed “goons”, it said in a statement it “does not condone such unlawful groupings”.

It also said the officer who shot the man in the head “using an anti-riot shotgun” had been arrested.

Josephine Michael, who manages a nearby health clinic, said her staff had treated seven people by early afternoon. AFP reporters saw two others suffer injuries.

The government had been keen to avoid unrest this year with its latest finance bill avoiding the tax hikes that sparked weeks of protests in June and July 2024.

But people have come back to the streets over the death of 31-year-old teacher Albert Ojwang in police custody earlier this month.

Protesters call for the resignation of senior Kenya Police officers. Photo by Luis TATO / AFP

The clashes were sparked by the death of Kenyan blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody. Photo by Luis TATO / AFP

Protesters are demanding the resignation of a senior officer they blame for the death.

One of the “goons” told AFP he had been hired by the Nairobi governor’s office, which did not respond to a request for comment.

“They told us we are coming to protect the shops, I didn’t know it would turn out like this,” said the man, who was carrying a club, adding that he was paid 1,000 shillings (around $8) and “just wanted the money”.

Kenya has a history of politicians using armed mobs.

Earlier this year, President William Ruto was accused of paying “goons” to follow his cavalcade around a tour of Nairobi to prevent protests.

Ruto adamantly denied paying any mobs after the tour descended into widespread violence and robberies against bystanders and had to be cut short.

“We are turning into a lawless country,” Ndungi Githuku, of civil rights group Kongamano La Mapinduzi, told AFP at Tuesday’s protest.

“We see hundreds of paid goons, with whips and weapons, crude weapons, coming to brutalise our people,” he said.

Last year’s protests peaked when thousands stormed parliament on June 25 where lawmakers were debating the unpopular finance bill.

Rights groups say at least 60 people were killed during the protests in June and July 2024, and dozens more were illegally detained by security forces in the aftermath.

Originally published as Kenyan police shoot unarmed bystander in broad daylight amid protests