The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on Monday released a detailed status update on its investigations into police conduct during the 2024 Anti-Finance Bill protests, revealing that 60 deaths were registered across the country.
The IPOA report comes on the same day the BBC Africa Eye documentary aired, exposing the fatal actions of Kenyan security forces during the demonstrations, including the tracing of deadly shots allegedly fired by a Kenya Defence Forces soldier at protesters outside Kenya’s parliament.
The IPOA report, spanning incidents from June to August 2024, documents a grim toll: 60 deaths, with 22 cases completed, 8 under final review, and 3 forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for further action.
The investigations cover regions including Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nyeri, with specific cases like the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Rex Masai on June 20, 2024, in Nairobi, attributed to blunt force trauma.
Other incidents include the deaths of 22-year-old Evans Kiratu in Rongai and 19-year-old Erickson Kyalo in Kitengela, both on June 25, 2024, the day parliament voted on the controversial Finance Bill.
The BBC documentary, titled Blood Parliament provides a chilling 3D reconstruction of the events on June 25, 2024, when protesters amassed outside parliament as MPs voted on the Finance Bill.
The documentary traces three fatal shootings directly to a police officer and a soldier, contradicting official narratives that downplayed security forces’ role in the violence.
It highlights the chaos that unfolded after the bill passed with 195 votes in favor and 106 against, despite widespread public opposition.
The protests, largely driven by Gen Z activists mobilising on social media, were described by human rights activist Boniface Mwangi as a “carnival” turned deadly, with 39 deaths and 361 injuries reported nationwide by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
IPOA’s update, signed by Chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan, acknowledges the challenges faced during investigations, including lack of cooperation from witnesses and police tactics like concealing identities and using unmarked vehicles.
“The Authority remains committed to ensuring justice for victims,” the report states, urging state agencies to act on its findings.
The 2024 protests erupted over the Finance Bill, which proposed tax hikes amid economic hardship, galvanizing a youth-led movement that forced President William Ruto to withdraw the bill on June 26, 2024.
However, the crackdown on protesters continued, with Human Rights Watch reporting abductions, arbitrary arrests, and killings of perceived protest leaders well into August.
The BBC documentary underscores the brutality, showing how security forces targeted unarmed protesters, some carrying only water bottles and handkerchiefs, as they chanted “reject Finance Bill.”
The timing of IPOA’s report alongside the BBC documentary has reignited calls for accountability.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International Kenya, have long criticised the lack of prosecutions, noting that despite IPOA’s efforts, no police officer or government official has been held accountable for protest-related abuses in recent years, including the 2023 demonstrations that left at least 31 dead.
The IPOA’s mandate, established under Kenyan law to provide civilian oversight of police conduct, is under scrutiny as citizens demand tangible outcomes.
With 29 cases still under active investigation, the nation watches closely to see if the documented evidence will lead to convictions—or if the cycle of impunity will persist.
