Victims of June 25 and Saba Saba protests still hospitalised at KNH
By Kenneth Mwenda, August 26, 2025Scores of victims of the June 25 and Saba Saba demonstrations remain hospitalised at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), nursing injuries ranging from bullet wounds to deep fractures and other serious complications.
The unrest, which has been described as one of the deadliest waves of protest in recent years, has left families seeking justice and accountability for the injuries and deaths witnessed across the country.
The male ward at KNH is where several victims are still undergoing treatment weeks after the demonstrations. Among them are Edelton Mburu, Kevin Mwangi, Alan Chege, Dennis Keiro, Daniel Murige, and Maxwell Otieno.
One of them, Maxwell Otieno, during an interview at the hospital on Monday, August 25, 2025, recounted how his arm was shattered when a tear gas canister exploded as he tried to shield himself near the Archives along Nairobi’s Moi Avenue.
“Mkono imeunganishwa na mguu, so nafaa niende nitolewe,” Maxwell said. “Kuna vile nilipoteza nyama mingi kwa mkono. So walisema ndo waisave, wataishikanisha na mguu for three weeks alafu wanitoe.”
For him, the incident was a split-second decision that changed his life permanently.
Kevin Mwangi was transferred from Othaya in Nyeri County after being shot on June 25, 2025. His family said he had joined the demonstrations to voice frustration over the rising cost of living, but now faces an uncertain recovery journey.
Unanswered questions on bullets
Edelton Mburu narrated his ordeal of being arrested during protests in Dagoretti near Equity Bank. Though later released, he was shot twice in the leg after police ordered him to leave.
“Sikuonyeshwa risasi yoyote, lakini picha zangu zenye nilipigwa X-ray ya kifua zinaonyesha risasi mbili, lakini ya mkono haikuonekana mahali. Sasa hizo X-rays ata waliniambia zilipotea,” he said.
The ongoing hospitalisation of victims adds a human face to the grim statistics of Kenya’s protest crisis. On June 25, 2025, at least 19 people were reported killed and more than 400 injured during nationwide demonstrations. Less than two weeks later, on July 7, 2025, known as Saba Saba Day, at least 11 more people were killed and over 500 arrested, according to official reports.
The demonstrations, largely driven by young Kenyans, have highlighted grievances over police brutality, poor governance, and the rising cost of living. Rights groups have condemned what they describe as the excessive use of force by police, while government officials maintain that officers are responding to lawlessness.