Kenya interior minister accuses protesters of coup attempt after deadly demonstrations

Kenya’s interior minister has accused demonstrators of attempting to overthrow the government during deadly protests that left at least 16 people dead, amid growing calls for dialogue between the state and the country’s disaffected youth.

Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said on Thursday that protesters had attempted to carry out “regime change” during violent demonstrations in Nairobi and other cities. He told reporters that at least 10 people were killed in Wednesday’s unrest, although rights group Amnesty Kenya placed the toll at 16, all reportedly killed by gunfire suspected to have been fired by police.

The youth-led protests, which began as a commemoration of last year’s deadly anti-tax marches, escalated into widespread unrest marked by looting, arson, and clashes with security forces. On Thursday, thick smoke lingered over central Nairobi, where more than 10 buildings were torched overnight. Shopkeepers began clearing charred debris and assessing damages.

The protests have also been fuelled by public outrage over the recent death of 31-year-old blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody. His death has intensified calls for police accountability. Six individuals, including three police officers, have been charged with murder in connection with the case. All have pleaded not guilty.

Murkomen claimed security forces had prevented large crowds from breaching security perimeters around the State House and parliament, calling the protesters “criminal anarchists” who unleashed “a wave of violence, looting, sexual assault and destruction.”

Activist Boniface Mwangi rejected the minister’s statements, telling Reuters the government was using the “coup” narrative to distract from genuine grievances. “The branding of yesterday's protests as a coup is the government's attempt to shift attention from the real issue,” Mwangi said.

Calls for dialogue are growing amid the fallout. Ibrahim Hamisi, a business owner whose building was among those burned, urged both the government and protesters—often identified as members of “Gen Z”—to come to the table.

“Look: everything they burnt. So please government, try talking to the Gen Z,” he said. “So, the Gen Z, try to sit down and talk with the government.”

Others expressed frustration at the economic toll of the unrest. Josephine Apondi, a shopkeeper in Nairobi, said her store was looted of about 2 million Kenyan shillings (roughly $15,500) in phones and electronics.

The protests come one year after a similar wave of anti-tax demonstrations that left more than 60 people dead, and raise fresh concerns about youth disillusionment, police violence, and the Kenyan government’s handling of public dissent.

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