Kenyan police detained activists outside police headquarters in Nairobi on Monday as they protested alleged police brutality, deaths in custody and extrajudicial killings, demanding the resignation of Inspector General Douglas Kanja.
Footage shows officers carrying protesters into a detention van as detainees chanted, ‘Kanja must go!’, while white mock coffins marked ‘Protect us’ were laid outside Jogoo House before being removed.
“We are tired <…> Police are used to killing people without reason. It has come to an end. We are tired. We have a right to live,” claimed human rights activist Julius Kamau.
“We must stand up and fight together, fight for freedom, justice and equality,” he added.
The protest follows years of scrutiny of Kenya’s police over deaths in custody, enforced disappearances and alleged excessive force during demonstrations.
Public anger intensified after teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang died in police custody in June 2025. An autopsy contradicted the police’s initial account, which Kanja later withdrew and apologised for.
Kanja has said extrajudicial killings are illegal and that officers found responsible for misconduct would face action.
Kenya has seen repeated protests over alleged police violence since the deadly anti-government demonstrations of 2024.
Source: Viory
