At least 125 Kenyans killed by police in 2025 - Report

Anti-riot police officers rough up one of the Azimio la Umoja supporters during the anti-government protests in Mathare on July 19, 2023.[Collins Kweyu, Standard]

More Kenyans were killed by police in 2025 than in 2024, with deaths rising sharply during the June and July Gen Z protests, as Nairobi recorded the highest number of cases.

According to the 2025 Missing Voices Annual Report, released Tuesday, March 24 in Mathare, at least 125 people were killed by police in 2025, a 20 percent increase from 104 cases reported in 2024.

Enforced disappearances, however, dropped significantly, from 55 cases in 2024 to four in 2025.

"Most cases of police killings occurred during periods of public protest and demonstrations, with June and July accounting for 68 deaths, more than half (54 per cent) of all killings in 2025. This reflects a continued pattern observed in previous years where police violence spikes during protest periods," the report noted.

The protests were linked to the momentum of the 2024 Gen Z protests, which were driven by opposition to a widely criticised Finance Bill.

The killing of teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody further inflamed tensions, as calls for justice for victims of earlier protests continued.

The report found that young people, who led the demonstrations made up the majority of victims. About 90 percent were male.

"Young people continued to be disproportionately affected. The age group of 19–35 recorded the highest number of victims, reinforcing concerns that youth exercising their constitutional right to protest are increasingly exposed to lethal force.” 

Beyond the killings, the report also documented other abuses, including arbitrary arrests, detention, torture and digital repression.

Despite many cases being documented, there has been little progress in securing convictions or holding those responsible to account. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) cited resource constraints as a major challenge.

Excessive use of force remained a major concern, with some one hundred and fourteen (114) cases linked to the shooting of unarmed civilians.

The report was launched in the presence of Law Society of Kenya President-elect Charles Kanjama and Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton, among others.

Speaking at the event, Houghton said he would step down later this year but remain involved in human rights work.

"Although I am retiring from Amnesty International, I will remain a life member. The best Amnesty staff never leave. We are very close to identifying the successor to my office," he said.