Armed Goons Attack KHRC Offices Ahead of Kenyan Mothers’ Press Briefing
Tensions escalated on the eve of Saba Saba Day after a group of armed goons reportedly stormed the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) offices, disrupting a planned press briefing by Kenyan mothers.
The Women’s Collective Kenya, in a statement on X, condemned the attack, stating that the goons targeted the venue where a press conference was scheduled for 1:30 PM. The briefing was organized by mothers calling for an end to police brutality, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances linked to recent protests.
“Armed goons have attacked offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), where a press conference was due to be held this afternoon by Kenyan mothers on the eve of Saba Saba,” the statement read.
According to Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi, an NGO present at the scene, the attackers made away with at least two laptops belonging to journalists. The incident forced attendees to take refuge in nearby restaurants.
The attackers allegedly accused the group of planning the Saba Saba protests, which are set to take place on Monday, July 7.
The mothers had intended to use the briefing to decry increasing cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, particularly of youth participating in demonstrations.
Their campaign was sparked by the high number of protest-related casualties, including the June 25, 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests, which saw at least 60 people killed and dozens disappear. Those events galvanized the youth-led Gen Z movement, which has continued to rally against injustice.
Recent incidents have added fuel to the outrage, such as the death of Albert Ojwang, a blogger and teacher allegedly killed in police custody. During the June 17 protests demanding justice for Ojwang, an unarmed vendor selling masks to demonstrators was fatally shot—an incident that was caught on camera.
On June 25, Kenyans held another massive demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary of the anti-Finance Bill uprising. That protest ended in tragedy with at least 19 confirmed deaths and more than 400 injuries.
The Kenyan mothers’ presser aimed to halt a cycle of violence ahead of the July 7 Saba Saba Day, a date historically linked to Kenya’s fight for multiparty democracy. However, with today’s attack, the fate of the press briefing hangs in the balance.
Calls for justice and accountability continue to grow louder, even as concerns mount over the state’s response to civic activism.
In other news:Saba Saba: Traders Clear Out Shops Fearing a Repeat of June 25 Violence
Armed Goons Attack KHRC Offices Ahead of Kenyan Mothers’ Press Briefing