Thousands across Kenya are taking part in protests against police brutality and corruption on the one-year anniversary of anti-tax protests. The anti-tax protests, organized by young Kenyans, led to the president of Kenya scrapping the protested tax bill, but also resulted in 60 people dead and dozens more abducted by Kenyan police. Much of the controversy from the bill stemmed from not just increases in the cost of living but also concerns about privacy. The bill would have allowed the Kenyan Revenue Authority to access the personal financial data of citizens without any needed court orders.

The largest of these current protests erupted in Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi. With cops firing tear gas at the protestors, businesses and banks were forced to close in the capital. The security forces heavily barricaded both the Parliament and presidential palace, as protestors set the entrance to the Parliament on fire during last year’s protests. During these current protests, 16 people so far have been killed with hundreds of others injured, according to Amnesty International. Thus far, the protests are smaller in scale than last year but again are lead but younger citizens. The new protests are broader in scope, stemming from overall anger with the government and from the police brutality that has accompanied this and previous protests.  

The anger of government corruption and police brutality comes after officers have been arrested because of violence of unarmed protestors last year. The Kenyan government has directed news channels not to broadcast the protests, a move denounced by Amnesty Kenya and other groups. Being able to broadcast protests is vital, and it is a key part of ensuring human rights are not being violated during protests. The controversial coverage ban comes along with Kenya’s Interior Minister accusing the protesters of trying to enact a regime change

The government of Kenya must respect the rights of its citizens and ensure that there is a freedom to protest without fear of reprisal. With these protests still being fresh, there is some concern growing as the United Nations has called for restraint in relation to these protests. There have already been confirmed reports of police brutality and civilian deaths, and this along with suppression of press freedom has caused warranted concern. We have seen far too many times that protests coupled with government oppression and violence can lead to eventual broader conflict. There is a chance currently to ensure that the protests and the state’s response do not escalate. Leaders must do all they can to call out any abuses within these protests, and they must advocate to ensure that the violence occurring in these protests ends, and any further escalation is prevented.