At least 37 people sustained injuries in violent confrontations between police and residents of Majengo, Nairobi, following unrest triggered by a fatal shooting.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, that its teams had attended to the injured, with two critically wounded individuals taken to Kenyatta National Hospital and Pumwani Maternity Hospital for emergency treatment.
“Earlier today, Kenya Red Cross first responders attended to 37 casualties following protests in Majengo, Nairobi. Two critically injured individuals were evacuated by @EMS_Kenya to Kenyatta National Hospital, while one was taken to Pumwani Maternity. Our teams set up a triage post at Riatha Mosque to provide immediate medical assistance,” read a statement from the Red Cross.
Tensions began on Tuesday night when two plainclothes police officers pursued a 17-year-old suspected of possessing bhang in the Majengo Gorofani area.
Witnesses claim that as the officers attempted to apprehend the teenager, a group of young men intervened, attacking them with stones and crude weapons.
In response, the officers fired warning shots into the air in an attempt to disperse the group. However, amid the chaos, a young man was shot and rushed to the hospital.
By Wednesday morning, tensions escalated further when the injured youth, identified as the same teenager suspected of carrying bhang, was pronounced dead.
News of his death sparked outrage among residents, leading to protests as demonstrators set up roadblocks with burning tyres and debris in Majengo and Shauri Moyo.
As the protests grew more intense, demonstrators torched three housing units occupied by Kamukunji Administration Police Service (APS) officers, forcing them to evacuate.
Additionally, an official police vehicle from Shauri Moyo Police Station, identified as GK B 700 U, was set on fire by angry protesters.
The situation worsened when another body was discovered in an alleyway in Shauri Moyo early Wednesday morning. The victim had sustained a fatal stab wound, further heightening tensions in the area.
Although the situation has since stabilized, a heavy police presence remains in Majengo to prevent further violence.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the incident, but discussions between local leaders and security officials are expected to take place to address the underlying grievances that fueled the unrest.
