Rights groups call for probe after BBC Africa Eye documentary

Leading human rights organisations have renewed calls for investigations into the killing of protesters by Kenya’s security forces during demonstrations against a rise in taxes last June.

It follows a BBC Africa Eye investigation, exposing members of the security forces who shot dead three protesters at Kenya’s parliament, igniting public outrage and demands for justice.

Amnesty International and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said the officers identified in the documentary should “face the law”.

Kenya’s government spokesman has responded by saying “every life is important”, the police watchdog is conducting an investigation and criticised the BBC documentary for being “one-sided”.

“Those who did the documentary should have sought government opinion… so that they can be fair and balanced,” Isaac Mwaura said.

“For example, they show the parliament being burnt, but they don’t show who is doing it; they seem to minimise the vandalisation that happened in parliament.”

He admitted the protesters had legitimate concerns about the finance bill but said: “We cannot have a country that also is led through anarchy and mayhem.”

The BBC had asked the government to take part in the documentary.

It was briefly discussed in Kenya’s parliament on Tuesday when MP John Kiarie accused the BBC of “pushing a foreign agenda”, while another MP, Millie Odhiambo, said the government and parliament should deal with the aftermath of the protests “soberly”, without gagging the media.

“The BBC documentary has created more anger among young people… You can’t stop the media,” Odhiambo said.

In response to the documentary before it was aired, the police service said the force could not investigate itself, adding that Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) was responsible for investigating alleged misconduct.

The Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) told the BBC the IPOA had not forwarded any request to look into any of its personnel involved in the operations at parliament.

BBC Africa Eye’s Blood Parliament documentary revealed how security forces brutally responded to youthful protesters who breached Kenya’s parliament on 25 June 2024, the day lawmakers voted to approve the proposed tax hikes.

The controversial finance bill was aimed at raising $2.7bn (£2bn) the government said it needed to cut its reliance on external borrowing – but had sparked widespread.

Using open-source data and user-generated content, the BBC’s analysis of more than 5,000 images identified uniformed security personnel – a policeman and solider – who opened fire killing three unarmed protesters at parliament.

The wider clampdown by the security forces on a series of protests against the finance bill left at least 65 people dead, resulted in the forcible disappearance of 89 others and the arrest of thousands, according to Amnesty International.

The Kenyan government put the death toll at 42.

On Monday, the BBC said it had cancelled a private screening of the documentary in Kenya’s capital Nairobi “due to pressure from the authorities”.

“We are very disappointed not to have been able to share the documentary and panel discussion as planned,” a BBC spokesperson said.

“In the meantime, audiences can watch the film on BBC Africa’s YouTube channel,” the spokesperson added.

Amnesty said the documentary corroborated the group’s earlier report that “unnecessary and excessive lethal force was used against protesters”.

It called on the police and the army to “publicly state the actions being taken with regard to the findings of the BBC exposé”.

The rights group urged Kenyans to sign a petition calling for a public inquiry into the killings during what were dubbed the #OccupyParliament protests.

The KHRC said the BBC documentary revealed how “organised criminals in police and military uniforms” were deployed “to murder innocent Kenyans”.

It said the “responsibility rests with [President William] Ruto, who must be held accountable for these deaths”.

Kenyans expressed their anger online, pressing the government to hold security officers accountable for the killings and injuries of peaceful protesters.

Ruto has previously defended police against accusations of brutality and recently warned Kenyans against commenting on military matters.

Police have also repeatedly denied involvement in the abductions and killings. No officers have been charged.

On Monday, following the release of the BBC Africa Eye documentary, the IPOA gave an update on the investigations.

The authority revealed that so far, of the 60 deaths under investigation, 41 involved gunshot wounds.

The IPOA said it had completed 22 investigations, while it was actively pursuing 36, and that two cases were currently before the courts.

The investigating agency said it had recorded 233 injury cases during the demonstrations.

In a statement, the main opposition coalition said the “execution of peaceful protesters was premeditated and sanctioned at the highest levels”.

Mr Mwaura said the documentary risked “inciting Kenyans to violence” while one legislator called for the BBC to be banned in Kenya.

George Peter Kaluma, said that the 37-minute-long documentary risked “destabilising” the country.

But a senator, Edwin Sifuna, defended the documentary saying there were no “fabrications” in it.

“We must encourage these stories to be told from all angles for the sake of truth and justice. Those who are uncomfortable with this are wrestling with their own consciences and we cannot help them with that,” Sifuna posted on X.