NAIROBI — Busia Senator and long-time rights defender Okiya Omtatah has said he intentionally stopped protestors from marching to State House during Wednesday’s demonstrations, fearing the action could end in bloodshed.
“There was very big pressure for people to march to State House,” Omtatah told reporters. “One of the reasons I was sitting down and attracting the crowd was to stop that march because I knew people were going to be killed. I didn’t want another life lost when we were just commemorating the death of other people.”
His warning came during tense national protests marking one year since the deadly June 25, 2024 demonstrations, where more than 30 people were killed during clashes with police over the controversial Finance Bill.
This year’s protests, driven largely by young Kenyans, were both a memorial and a fresh demand for justice. Demonstrators carried photos of those killed last year, chanted slogans against police violence, and called for accountability.
Despite the largely peaceful tone, the day ended in tragedy once again. Amnesty International Kenya confirmed at least 16 deaths from Wednesday’s protests, most of them caused by police gunfire.
“Most were killed by police,” said Irungu Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty Kenya, in a statement to Reuters. “Five deaths have so far been confirmed as gunshot-related.”
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported more than 400 people injured. Victims included protestors, police officers, and members of the media. The commission cited serious allegations of excessive force ranging from rubber bullets and water cannons to live ammunition.
Kenyatta National Hospital confirmed treating over 100 injured people, most with gunshot wounds. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said 61 protestors were arrested.
Amid the unrest, Omtatah stood out not just as a politician but as a cautious voice. While he supported the spirit of protest, he warned against violent confrontation.
He drew a stark comparison with Sudan, where a failed transition and violent uprisings have thrown the country into prolonged chaos.
“You can see where Sudan is,” he said. “Sudan was not able to harness the anger of the people and guide it away from being an uprising to being a revolution.”
Instead, Omtatah is calling for a shift from the streets to the ballot box. He urged Kenyans especially the youth to register as voters ahead of the 2027 general election.
“People must be registered as voters,” he said. “And once they are, we must prepare to go to elections and monitor all polling stations.”
He also urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to be more open by publishing the exact locations of all polling stations to prevent fraud and confusion something he says contributed to mistrust in the 2022 elections.
Wednesday’s protests were held in dozens of towns across the country, from Nairobi to Kisumu, Mombasa to Eldoret. While some areas remained calm, others witnessed tear gas, stampedes and confrontations with heavily armed police.
As the country comes to terms with yet another round of deadly unrest, voices like Omtatah’s offer a reminder of the fragile balance between protest and peace and the high cost of ignoring that line.
