KNCHR confirms 8 deaths and over 400 casualties during the June 25 Finance Bill protests. The Commission calls out police brutality and demands accountability.
At least eight people were killed and more than 400 others injured during the June 25, 2025 protests against the Finance Bill, according to a preliminary report released by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) on Thursday morning.
The Commission, which deployed observers in multiple counties, has raised alarm over what it termed as “gross violations of human rights” by security agencies during the protests, which were largely led by Gen Z and spread across major cities including Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Mombasa.
“We have confirmed eight deaths, with 435 casualties, some of whom sustained life-threatening injuries,” the Commission said.
KNCHR Chairperson Roseline Odede condemned the excessive use of force, particularly by the police, and called for immediate investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries.
“Our teams witnessed first-hand the use of live bullets, beatings, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation of both protesters and medics. These acts go against the Constitution and violate basic human rights,” she stated.
A Day of Rage and Resistance
June 25 marked the first anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations — a turning point in Kenya’s civil resistance movement. What began as peaceful gatherings to oppose the reintroduction of unpopular tax clauses quickly escalated into violent clashes between protesters and police.
In Nairobi, demonstrators gathered in the central business district early in the day, chanting slogans and holding up placards with hashtags like #RejectFinanceBill2025, #RutoMustGo, and #GenZRevolution. But by mid-morning, chaos erupted as riot police began lobbing tear gas and using water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Multiple videos circulating on social media show officers firing live rounds in the air and in some cases, allegedly into crowds. Eyewitnesses from Githurai, Mathare, and Mlolongo reported incidents where stray bullets hit bystanders, homes, and even medics trying to assist the injured.
One of the most widely-shared images from the day was that of a young protester in Nairobi’s CBD, bleeding from a gunshot wound as fellow demonstrators tried to carry him to safety. Human rights defenders say the footage underscores the urgent need for police accountability.
Hospitals Overwhelmed
KNCHR’s report noted that hospitals in Nairobi and Kisumu were overwhelmed by the number of casualties. The Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Mama Lucy Hospital in Nairobi reported treating dozens of injured protesters, many with rubber bullet wounds, inhalation injuries from tear gas, and blunt force trauma.
Several medical volunteers also reported harassment by police. At least four medics were detained briefly and later released without charge.
“Targeting medics is a violation of international humanitarian norms, even during civil unrest,” said the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) in a statement.
🕊️ Call for Justice and Accountability
KNCHR has now called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to expedite investigations into the killings and to ensure officers found culpable are held accountable.
“Protest is a constitutional right. The state must facilitate it, not criminalize it,” said Odede.
Civil society groups, including Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya, have also vowed to file lawsuits challenging the conduct of police during the protests.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has yet to issue a formal response to the KNCHR report. However, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura earlier in the week blamed “rogue protesters” for instigating violence and damaging public property.
As the nation processes the fallout from the protests, growing pressure is mounting on President William Ruto’s administration to address the concerns of young Kenyans — many of whom say they are fed up with high taxation, youth unemployment, and political impunity.
The KNCHR report may just be the first step in what is shaping up to be a long road to justice for those affected.
