Kenya’s police chief, Japhet Koome, resigned on Friday amid severe criticism of police conduct during recent anti-government protests, which resulted in the deaths of at least 39 people. President William Ruto’s office announced Koome’s resignation a day after dismissing nearly his entire cabinet in response to protesters’ demands. Douglas Kanja, Koome’s deputy, has been appointed as the interim police chief, according to the announcement.
Initially, peaceful demonstrations against proposed tax hikes escalated into violence, with police employing tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition, and facing a breach of parliament by some protesters. While President Ruto revoked the tax increases, protests persist, with activists calling for broader political reforms to combat corruption and improve governance. Criticism has also been directed at the police for alleged excessive force and the reported abduction of numerous individuals attempting to quell protests.
President Ruto, who took office in September 2022, acknowledged the reported abductions in a recent online event, expressing regret and promising accountability for any implicated officers. During these events, Denzel Omondi, a protester who went missing during the demonstrations, was discovered deceased in a Nairobi quarry last week, according to Amnesty International, which urged an independent investigation into his death. Kenyan police have not yet responded to these allegations.
Further complicating the situation, Reuters and human rights groups reported the discovery of at least eight bodies, many decomposed and possibly related to protests, in a Mukuru quarry in Nairobi. Miriam Nyamuita, an activist with the Mukuru Community Justice Centre, highlighted concerns, including potential femicide, calling for immediate investigations into the deaths.
In response, a government spokesperson shared a police statement on social media platform X, confirming ongoing efforts to identify the deceased through sample analysis and the commencement of investigations.
In other news – Actress Shannen Doherty dies
Actress Shannen Doherty, renowned for her roles in ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ and ‘Charmed’, passed away on Saturday after a long battle with stage four cancer, confirmed by her publicist Leslie Sloane. Starting her career in the early 1980s, she gained prominence starring in ‘Heathers’ alongside Winona Ryder in 1988. She achieved global recognition as Brenda Walsh in ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ and appeared in numerous television movies thereafter.
Throughout her life, Shannen navigated personal challenges, including marriages to Ashley Hamilton and Rick Salomon, and later a divorce from photographer Kurt Iswarienko in 2023. Diagnosed with breast cancer initially in 2015, she went into remission by 2017, but faced recurrences in subsequent years, including metastases to her bones and brain by 2023. Read More
