Human rights organisations have renewed calls for justice after a BBC Africa Eye documentary, Blood Parliament, exposed the killing of protesters by Kenyan security forces during anti-tax demonstrations in June 2024.
The investigation, using open-source footage and images, identified uniformed police and military officers who opened fire and killed three unarmed protesters at Kenya’s Parliament. The protest occurred during a vote on a controversial finance bill aimed at raising $2.7 billion through tax hikes.
Amnesty International and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) urged authorities to prosecute those identified in the exposé. They accused the government of using “organised criminals in uniform” and held President William Ruto accountable for the deadly crackdown.
While the government says 42 people died in the protests, Amnesty cites 65 killed, 89 forcibly disappeared, and thousands arrested. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has confirmed 41 gunshot-related deaths among 60 under investigation and completed 22 probes, with two cases in court.
Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura criticised the BBC for being “one-sided” and accused the documentary of inciting unrest. MPs were divided in parliament, with some condemning the BBC and others defending the right to media scrutiny.
The BBC cancelled a private screening in Nairobi due to government pressure but has released the film online. Amnesty and KHRC are now urging Kenyans to sign a petition demanding a public inquiry.
