Kenyan socialite Huddah Monroe has publicly expressed profound hurt and disappointment over reports of fatalities during Monday’s Saba Saba demonstrations, lamenting the apparent disregard for citizens' efforts to advocate for a better Kenya.
Monroe's Instagram story featured a repost with disturbing claims, stating,"Killed then dragged into the police station wtf? We are dealing with animals. This is not acceptable!! Happening in Juja".
This specific mention highlights the severe nature of the allegations that have fueled public anger.
“Sad, it hurts when I see how people have tried to fight for a better Kenya and it falls on deaf ears,"she articulated.
The demonstrations on Monday, July 7, 2025, known as "Saba Saba," commemorated the 35th anniversary of a historic 1990 uprising that advocated for a return to multiparty democracy in Kenya. This year's protests were driven by public frustration over economic stagnation, corruption, and persistent concerns about police brutality.
According to the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the Saba Saba demonstrations resulted in at least ten fatalities and twenty-nine injuries across 17 counties nationwide.
Reports indicate heavy police deployment, with officers using tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators. The KNCHR also noted instances of "numerous hooded officers, not in uniform, traveling in unmarked vehicles," a conduct that reportedly defied a court order requiring officers to be identifiable.
Disturbing allegations also surfaced about "criminal gangs wielding crude weapons" operating alongside police officers in areas like Nairobi and Eldoret.
In response to the protests and associated casualties, the Ministry of Health had earlier issued a statement confirming that medical bills for victims of earlier demonstrations on June 17 and June 25, 2025, would be waived.
The Ministry stated that it had directed the management of Kenyatta National Hospital to cover all medical bills for patients injured during those protests, charging them to the hospital's Disaster Emergency Fund. It also extended its deepest condolences to families who had lost loved ones.
The police, however, have disputed some of the claims made by human rights organizations. A police spokesperson asserted that KNCHR statements "may lack factualness" and explicitly denied that the National Police Service would "work alongside individuals called 'goons' or criminal elements". Despite official denials of misconduct, the mounting casualties and allegations of excessive force continue to fuel public debate and sorrow among many Kenyans, including prominent figures like Huddah Monroe, who feel the sacrifices for a better Kenya are falling on "deaf ears".
The Saba Saba protests mark the latest in a series of demonstrations that have seen violent clashes. Prior protests on June 25, for example, reportedly led to 19 fatalities, and rights groups have indicated at least 80 people have died in protests since June last year.
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