At least 26 Nyandarua County government vehicles and 18 motorbikes were torched on Wednesday as nationwide demonstrations rocked Kenya to mark the first anniversary of last year’s anti-Finance Bill protests.
According to Nyandarua County officials, the vehicles were set ablaze at the Olkalou sub-county offices, where they had been parked.
Five of the vehicles were reportedly grounded and awaiting repairs when they were destroyed.
The county also reported that newly purchased music and public address equipment, intended for community events, was reduced to ashes in the blaze.
Tensions were high in Olkalou, where police clashed with protesters for much of the day.
Officers used tear gas to disperse crowds that had barricaded roads with stones, triggering running battles throughout the sub-county.
The protests extended far beyond Nyandarua. Demonstrations erupted in major cities, including Nairobi, Mombasa, and Eldoret, as well as in counties such as Kakamega, Narok, Busia, Makueni, Nyeri, Laikipia, Machakos, Homa Bay, and Kirinyaga.
As of Wednesday evening, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) confirmed at least eight protest-related deaths.
The fatalities were recorded in Machakos (2), Makueni (2), Nakuru (1), Kiambu (1), Uasin Gishu (1), and Nyandarua (1).
More than 400 people sustained injuries during the demonstrations, including civilians, police officers, and journalists, KNCHR reported.
Of those, most were treated and discharged, while 83 were referred for specialised care due to the severity of their injuries.
The protests, which began peacefully in many locations, quickly turned chaotic in some areas as frustrations over government policy, cost of living, and security concerns boiled over.
Despite calls for calm by civil society groups and religious leaders, demonstrators vowed to continue their push for greater accountability and economic justice, raising fears of further unrest in the days ahead.
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