At least 16 people were killed in anti-government protests across Kenya on Wednesday, with the majority shot by police, according to Amnesty International’s Kenya chapter.
"16 verified dead," Amnesty Kenya's executive director Irungu Houghton told Reuters, adding the figures were verified by the watchdog and the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
"Most were killed by police," Houghton said, adding at least five of the victims had been shot dead. Eight protesters were killed and at least 400 injured with 83 in serious condition following protests across Kenya on Wednesday, a coalition of rights groups said in a statement.
"Today's protests saw significant numbers of protesters publicly demonstrate across 23 counties. We urge those still on the streets to exercise care to avoid further loss of life and injury," said the Kenya Medical Association, Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group, an alliance of rights organisations including Amnesty International.
The state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported monitoring countrywide demonstrations, leading to over 400 injuries and more than 60 arrests during Wednesday's protests spreading across 23 of 47 counties.
