Senior politicians in the ruling alliance are among 121 individuals being investigated for allegedly bankrolling violence during the June 25 and July 7 protests.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said that lawmakers and Members of County Assemblies are part of the group.
The CS said the protests were not spontaneous, rather, they were coordinated and financed operations designed to destabilise law and order.
Security officials have begun tracing suspicious money transfers and cash withdrawals believed to have been used to fund the gangs that unleashed havoc during the protests.
The CS revealed that at least 1,500 people have been arrested countrywide. They are facing charges ranging from terrorism, murder, robbery with violence, sexual assault and arson to malicious damage to property.
“Of these, 50 individuals are being investigated by the Serious Crime Unit (SCU), while 71 cases are being handled by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit for offences related to acts of terrorism,” Mr Murkomen said.
Sources in the Ministry of Interior said that three senior United Democratic Alliance politicians and business associates sympathetic to anti-government demonstrations are being questioned.
“The chaos was not organic. There are politicians who have already been charged with terrorism-related offences, and others have been summoned to the SCU at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations… Everyone who has been charged at the Kahawa Law Courts is facing terrorism-related charges,” said a senior official in the ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The minister detailed how gangs of looters and anarchists unleashed what he described as “raw and unprecedented terror” on innocent citizens.
“On these two days, marauding gangs of looters and barefaced anarchists broke into private businesses in many parts of the country, thrusting many individuals and families into poverty,” he said.
Mr Murkomen said that the violence claimed 42 lives, while at least 600 people were injured, among them 496 law enforcement officers deployed to contain the chaos.
“This is unacceptable. One life lost is one too many. We mourn every life lost and extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the affected families. To those who suffered injury, loss, and trauma on those two fateful days of sheer terror, we say ‘poleni sana’,” he said.
However, figures from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights indicate that at least 57 people died during the two protests. The commission said that 19 died on June 25 and another 38 lost their lives on July 7. Most of them are reported to have died from gunshot wounds.
Mr Murkomen said the targeting of police stations and theft of firearms and ammunition pointed to a deliberate attempt to weaken the State’s ability to ensure public safety. Also targeted during the protests were government offices, vehicles and a hospital in Kitengela, Kajiado County.
“When a police post or station is raided or razed it leaves the public at the mercy of dangerous criminals,” the CS said.
As investigations continue, a coalition of civil society organisations under the Police Reforms Working Group is demanding swift justice and full transparency over the deaths that occurred during the protests.
The group accused security agencies of turning public demonstrations into “killing grounds”, adding that the heavy-handed response only inflamed tensions further.
The coalition also condemned the profiling and mass arrests of civilians based on perceived political affiliation or ethnicity. The activists warned that such tactics violate the Constitution and erode trust in the police.
“The Constitution prohibits arbitrary pre-trial detention. Every accused person must be granted access to legal counsel, medical care, and the opportunity to challenge their detention in open court,” said Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton.
Transparency International Kenya Director Sheila Masinde expressed alarm over what she described as “widespread human rights violations.”
She called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) to publicly share its findings and preserve evidence from areas where killings and serious injuries occurred.
“We are calling on Ipoa to urgently conclude investigations into the 38 documented deaths, over 500 injuries, and other abuses, and to publicly share its findings,” Ms Masinde said.
She further urged Parliament to provide oversight on the conduct of security agencies and take decisive action to protect the rights of Kenyans.
“The Judiciary must safeguard due process and prevent prolonged or arbitrary detention of protesters,” Ms Masinde said.
The civil society criticised the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for levelling what they termed as excessive charges, including robbery with violence and terrorism, against demonstrators. The group urged the prosecutions team to act in the public interest and avoid abuse of legal processes.
“We are deeply alarmed by the indiscriminate and heavy deployment of police and the use of live ammunition in residential areas in counties such as Kajiado and Kiambu. At least seven minors are currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds and injuries,” Mr Houghton said.
The human rights activists also raised concerns over the presence of unmarked vehicles and unidentified armed men during the protests.
“To date, the Inspector-General of Police has not identified the individuals operating these vehicles,” Mr Houghton said.
Regarding the use of unmarked vehicles and officers in civilian clothes, Mr Murkomen said whether an officer wears a uniform or not does not hinder them from executing their mandate.[email protected]
