By Judy Maina judy.maina@alleastafrica.com
NAIROBI, Kenya – In a stark escalation of public unrest, violent mobs wielding crude weapons stormed anti-police brutality protests across Kenya’s major cities on Tuesday, attacking demonstrators in coordinated assaults that left at least one person dead and dozens injured.
Witnesses in Nairobi and Mombasa described scenes of panic and bloodshed as hundreds of unidentified men—described by protesters as “goons”—charged into crowds with clubs, stones, and metal rods.
Videos circulated on social media showed masked men chasing and beating unarmed civilians as police stood by, at times deploying tear gas without targeting the attackers.
The violence came amid nationwide demonstrations demanding justice for Albert Ojwang, a popular blogger who died in police custody earlier this month.
His death has galvanized civil society, youth groups, and opposition figures, triggering widespread calls for police reform and accountability.
“We were peacefully marching when they appeared out of nowhere,” said Salma Hussein, a protester in Mombasa who was injured in the leg.
“They didn’t care who they hit—men, women, even children.”
In Nairobi’s Mathare area, 22-year-old vendor Boniface Kariuki was shot in the head at close range by a masked police officer while attempting to flee the chaos.
He remains in intensive care after emergency surgery. His case has drawn particular outrage, with rights activists describing it as a targeted assault on bystanders.
Under mounting public pressure, Deputy Inspector General Eliud Langat announced on Wednesday that he would “step aside” to allow an independent investigation into the unfolding crisis.
“I support full transparency and accountability,” Langat said in a brief statement, even as critics questioned whether his resignation would translate into real reform.
The government has so far remained tight-lipped about the identity of the armed men. Civil society leaders have accused political actors of orchestrating the attacks to delegitimize the protests and sow fear.
“This was not a spontaneous incident,” said George Kegoro, a senior human rights lawyer.
“It was a calculated attempt to crush dissent with plausible deniability.”
Two police officers have been arrested in connection with the alleged torture and death of Ojwang. Still, calls for broader accountability continue to mount.
The Law Society of Kenya, the UK Embassy, and the Police Reforms Working Group have each issued statements urging a swift, independent inquiry into both the custodial death and the attacks on protesters.
As dusk fell across Kenya on Wednesday, protesters vowed to return to the streets despite the risks.
“We are not afraid,” said Winnie Otieno, a university student holding a candle at a vigil in Uhuru Park. “They want silence. We choose to speak.”
The coming days will test the government’s willingness to address public anger and rein in what critics now describe as a resurgence of state-enabled political violence—one that echoes Kenya’s most troubling past.
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