Two protesters were killed by gunshots and at least eight others were injured on Wednesday during demonstrations in a town near Nairobi, a hospital official told AFP. The protests were held to mark the one-year anniversary of widespread anti-government rallies that swept across Kenya.
“One had abdominal gunshot wounds and died from excessive bleeding. We got an alert of another gunshot victim at another hospital but on arrival we found that the patient had already succumbed,” said Julius Makau, administrator at a hospital in Matuu, around 100 kilometres (65 miles) from the capital.
It remained unclear exactly how the victims sustained their gunshot wounds, though The Nation newspaper reported that police had opened fire during the demonstrations. The protests marked one year since a wave of anti-government rallies erupted over the country’s worsening economic conditions—unrest that led to the deaths of at least 60 people, reportedly at the hands of security forces.
In Nairobi, AFP journalists witnessed chaotic scenes as protesters clashed with police. Officers were seen deploying tear gas and rubber bullets in efforts to disperse the crowds. Similar protests were reported in multiple towns and cities across Kenya.
At a hospital near Nairobi, Dr. Makau confirmed that his facility had treated six people for gunshot injuries and three others for various wounds. One person succumbed to their injuries, and another remains in critical condition, while the rest are reported to be in stable condition.
