A contingent of armed anti-riot police has been stationed at Uhuru Park in Nairobi ahead of a planned parallel Mashujaa Day celebration. Images show water cannons and police officers positioned strategically in the park. Youths and activists had intended to gather at the park to honor the victims of the anti-government protests held in June and July 2025, particularly the Parliament invasion on June 25.
Activist Eric Omondi posted on X, mentioning that the police had initially blocked all entrances but later allowed some young Kenyans access to the grounds. However, officers began dispersing the crowd with teargas. Haki Africa’s Hussein Khalid was arrested while speaking to journalists outside the park.
Amnesty International and other human rights groups documented 61 deaths during the protests. Their investigation involved interviews with eyewitnesses and the analysis of videos and photographs from the events. Amnesty also recorded 67 cases of enforced disappearances this year, with 40 resolved and 27 still unresolved.
Interior Cabinet Secretary and Deputy President nominee Kithure Kindiki disputed these figures, stating that the government had recorded 42 deaths. Speaking to the National Assembly’s National Security Committee on September 26, Kindiki defended the use of force by police officers, arguing that it was necessary to protect critical institutions like Parliament. “If we had not applied force on that fateful day, we would be discussing a different Kenya,” he said.
