Armed gang attacks Kenya rights panel

East African country faces violence rallies

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An armed gang attacked the headquarters of the Kenyan Human Rights Commission on Sunday as it hosted a press conference calling for an end to state violence, an AFP journalist saw.

The attack came on the eve of “Saba Saba Day” when Kenyans mark pro-democracy protests from the 1990s, and renewed unrest was expected yesterday.

The east African country is once again facing a wave of violent protests over economic stagnation, corruption and repeated acts of police brutality under President William Ruto.

The Kenyan Human Rights Commission was hosting a press conference calling for “an immediate end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings” when it was attacked by 20 men, some armed with sticks.

“The gate was locked but they forced themselves in. They were attacking and robbing guys, saying: ‘You are planning protests here,’” said an AFP journalist at the scene.