NAIROBI, Kenya, April 30 — Members of Parliament have sharply criticized the BBC over its recent documentary Blood Parliament, accusing the broadcaster of promoting a foreign agenda and unfairly tarnishing Kenya’s democratic institutions.
The exposé, aired on Monday, investigates the deadly crackdown on anti-government protests in June 2024. It alleges that Kenyan police and military forces received covert “shoot-to-kill” orders even before official deployment was authorized.
The documentary has sparked fierce debate in the National Assembly, with several lawmakers dismissing it as sensationalist and misleading.
Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie questioned the timing and intent behind the film’s release.
“Mr. Speaker, no one here condones violence against our people, but this documentary reeks of a foreign agenda. We must ask whether this is BBC journalism or the voice of British foreign policy. Kenya cannot be lectured by a country whose own soldiers have committed atrocities on our soil,” Kiarie said.
He also referenced Parliament’s previous decision to attach conditions to the renewal of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) agreement, which now requires British soldiers to be held accountable under Kenyan law.
“There’s no member of this House who would support atrocities by uniformed officers against Kenyans. While we can’t pass judgment on the Kenya Defence Forces, it’s worth noting that in the last Parliament, we declined to assent to the renewal of BATUK’s terms of service,” Kiarie added.
Mandera North MP Bashir Abdullahi criticized local media for amplifying the documentary without context, accusing them of helping to vilify Parliament.
“The documentary is tragic and inflammatory, especially in its use of the title Blood Parliament. Yes, our democracy faced challenges that day, but we are a sovereign nation capable of reconciliation. Why didn’t the BBC produce such a film after Capitol Hill or about Gaza, where women and children are dying every day?” he posed.
Bashir acknowledged the loss of lives but emphasized that the country has since moved forward in a spirit of reconciliation.
“It was tragic that we lost fellow Kenyans. Shameful that Parliament’s democracy was nearly infringed. But we have moved on, and we continue working to reconcile the country.”
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo, however, defended the documentary, saying it exposed hard truths that Kenya has failed to confront.
“We have not dealt with this issue well. The BBC is highlighting what we’ve failed to address ourselves. It’s time we take responsibility and ensure justice for the victims,” she said.
She further cautioned against the reflex to blame foreign actors instead of acknowledging internal failures.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma took a hardline stance, calling for the revocation of the BBC’s operating license in Kenya.
“This documentary is not journalism; it’s propaganda dressed as investigation. It is reckless, partial, and designed to incite unrest. If the BBC cannot operate within the bounds of fair and factual reporting, they have no business in Kenya,” Kaluma said.
In response, the BBC defended the documentary, stating it was based on the analysis of over 5,000 images and eyewitness testimonies.
The broadcaster maintains that its reporting aimed to shed light on events of national importance and stands by its findings.
Kenya’s authorities have pressured the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to cancel a screening of its investigative documentary “Blood Parliament,” which details police brutality during anti-tax protests at the Kenyan Parliament in June 2024.
The documentary, which was set to be screened at a Nairobi restaurant, focuses on the fatal shooting of University of Nairobi finance student Eric Shieni, who was reportedly shot in the back of the head while leaving parliament grounds during the protests.
“A screening of BBC Africa Eye’s ‘Blood Parliament in Kenya’ was cancelled due to pressure from the authorities. We are very disappointed not to have been able to share the documentary and panel discussion as planned,” a BBC spokesperson stated, noting that the film remains available on BBC Africa’s YouTube channel.
Through analysis of more than 150 images taken before and after Shieni’s death, BBC investigators claim to have identified the shooter as a member of Kenya’s armed forces.
The documentary suggests that Shieni was unarmed when he was killed.
The Kenya Defence Force (KDF) has rejected the BBC’s findings. KDF Spokesperson Paul Njuguna told the Nation that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had begun investigations into the protests but had not contacted KDF regarding any alleged involvement of its personnel.
“IPOA has so far not forwarded any enquiries, information or request to investigate any KDF personnel that were involved in the operations in support of NPS during the period, nor have they published the report,” Njuguna said, adding that KDF “remains fully committed to upholding the rule of law.”
The deployment of military forces during the protests was unusual, as KDF is primarily tasked with securing the country’s borders.
Then-Defense Minister Aden Duale authorized their deployment under Article 241 of the Kenyan Constitution to support the National Police Service during what was deemed a security emergency.
According to government figures released by former Interior CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who is now Deputy President, the protests resulted in 42 deaths, 132 disappearances, and 1,208 arrests.
A 2024 report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights placed the death toll higher, stating that security forces killed at least 63 people and injured 600 others during what became known as the Gen-Z protests.
Law Society of Kenya member Hosea Manwa, who has been monitoring cases of disappearances linked to the protests, called the allegations concerning. “It is time the details in the expose are investigated. If anyone is found guilty, then action should be taken against them,” he said.
The BBC documentary reportedly analyzed over 5,000 images, concluding that those killed during the protests were unarmed and posed no threat to security forces.
The June 2024 demonstrations erupted in response to a controversial finance bill, with protestors storming Parliament buildings in scenes that ultimately led to significant political shifts in the country.
A new investigation by the BBC has linked Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers to acts of brutality during the anti-government protests on June 25 last year, where demonstrators stormed the Parliament Buildings.
Blood Parliament, the BBC documentary alleges that aside from police officers, there were other shooters, possibly drawn from KDF, particularly the Kenya Army, involved in the Gen Z protests.
The investigation, which runs for 37 minutes, is based on digital evidence showing the killing of dozens of youths.
One of the findings was that one shooter had a unique dress code, unlike the plainclothes police officers at the scene, raising doubts about whether he belonged to the police units.
“In the video of the officer shouting, ‘uaa!'(which means kill in English), the shooter’s back was to the camera. But the BBC compared his body armour, riot shield, and headgear with those of every police officer at the scene.
In his case, he had an upturned neck guard. We matched his distinctive uniform to an officer in a video recorded seconds later.
There, he made sure to hide his face before firing into the crowd. We do not know his name,” part of the BBC report stated.
It was also claimed that one of the shooters during the invasion of Parliament was linked to the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
However, when the BBC tried to trace the officer, the efforts failed, creating confusion about his actual station of assignment.
Efforts to get a comment from the National Police Service (NPS) and the police station where the officer was supposedly based were unsuccessful.
A BBC screengrab showing anti-government protestors accessing Parliament buildings on June 25, 2024.
The NPS said that only the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) can investigate police misconduct, adding that it cannot probe its own officers.
Claims dismissed
At the same time, the Kenya Defence Forces dismissed claims that its officers participated in the shooting, stating that it remains a neutral and professional service.
On the evening of June 25, then Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the deployment of KDF officers to help police handle the unrest.
In a gazette notice, Duale said the decision came after some demonstrators targeted critical infrastructure, posing a threat to national security.
“Under Article 241 (3) (b) of the Constitution of Kenya as read with sections 31 (1) (a), 31 (1) (c), 33 (1), 34 (1) and 34 (2) of the Kenya Defence Forces Act, (Cap. 199), the Kenya Defence Forces is deployed on the 25th June, 2024 in support of the National Police Service,” read part of the gazette notice.
However, the deployment was announced after Parliament had already been invaded.
Following the week of protests, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported that 39 people had died and 361 others were injured in different parts of the country.
The protests were triggered by the controversial Finance Bill that aimed to raise Sh346 billion in taxes, and which was later withdrawn.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula later revealed that property worth Sh94 million was destroyed during the protests at Parliament.
He said an insurance company assessed the damage, adding, “That is the damage we suffered. So the insurance firm has taken up the matter.”
He further explained that when the protestors broke into Parliament Buildings on June 25, they vandalised furniture, damaged the structures, smashed television screens, and tore flags.
Wetang’ula assured that taxpayers would not bear the cost as the insurance company would handle the repairs and replacements.
During the chaos on June 25, protestors opposed to the Finance Bill 2024 managed to break through Parliament’s security barricades.
Earlier that day, the Bill had passed with 195 MPs voting in favour and 106 against.
As the protestors stormed Parliament, some were shot outside the building, while others set fire to a section housing parliamentary offices.
Gunfire could be heard as police officers struggled to control the crowd.
Several items were vandalised, including essential equipment used for parliamentary sessions, windows were smashed, and flags were destroyed.
Currently, only one police officer, linked to the Central Police Station, faces possible murder charges in connection with the killings.
His case was adjourned on March 10 after a key witness asked for more time to submit critical documents to the court.
The full extent of involvement by officers outside the police service remains unclear, even as human rights groups continue to demand accountability for the deaths and injuries recorded during the demonstrations.
BBC — The members of Kenya’s security forceswho shot dead anti-tax protesters at the country’s parliament last June have been identified by the BBC.
The BBC’s analysis of more than 5,000 images also shows that those killed there were unarmed and not posing a threat.
The East African nation’s constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest, and the deaths caused a public outcry.
Despite a parliamentary committee ordering Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the deaths on the streets of the capital, Nairobi – and make public its findings – no report regarding the killings at parliament has yet been issued and no-one has been held to account.
The BBC World Service team analysed videos and photos taken by protesters and journalists on the day. We determined when each was taken using camera metadata, livestream timings and public clocks visible in the shots.
We plotted three of the killings on a 3D reconstruction of Kenya’s parliament, allowing us to trace the fatal shots back to the rifles of a police officer and a soldier.
What follows is BBC Africa Eye’s detailed timeline of events as Kenya’s MPs entered parliament for the final vote on the government’s controversial finance bill, while protesters amassed on the streets outside on Tuesday 25 June 2024.
Young people, labelled Gen Z protesters who had mobilised themselves on social media, began streaming into central Nairobi early in the morning – in what would be the capital’s third large-scale protest since the finance bill was introduced on 9 May.
“It was a beautiful party,” says prominent human rights activist Boniface Mwangi, who was there.
“Kids came out with Bluetooth speakers and their water. It was a carnival.”
Protests earlier in the week had already led lawmakers to axe tax increases on bread, cooking oil, mobile money and motor vehicles, as well as an eco levy that would have raised the cost of goods like nappies and sanitary towels.
But other measures to raise the $2.7bn (£2bn) the government said it needed to cut its reliance on external borrowing, such as higher import taxes and another on specialised hospitals, remained.
“For the first time it was the Kenyan people – the working class and the middle class and the lower class – against the ruling class,” says Mwangi.
The protesters had one target – parliament, where the final vote was taking place.
By 09:30 local time, the last of the MPs filed into the lower house.
Outside, thousands pushed towards Parliament Road from the east, north and west of the city.
Map showing Kenya’s parliament and three circled areas regarded as the police’s front lines
“For me, it was just a normal day,” says 26-year-old student journalist Ademba Allans.
People were livestreaming on their TikTok and Instagram accounts, while events were broadcast live on national TV, he adds.
At first, protesters were held back at roadblocks by tear gas and truncheons, then police started using water cannons and rubber bullets.
By 13:00, more than 100,000 people were on the streets.
“The numbers start getting bigger and people actually start getting arrested,” says Allans. “The police are everywhere. They’re trying to push people back. People are even climbing on top of those water cannons.”
Despite the growing chaos outside, MPs remained in the chamber and the voting began.
By 14:00, protesters had pushed police all the way back to the north-eastern corner of parliament.
Inside at 14:14, the Finance Bill 2024 was voted in: 195 in favour, 106 against. Opposition MPs stormed out and word instantly reached the masses outside.
“This is when everybody is saying: ‘Whatever happens, we are going to enter the parliament and show the MPs that we believe in what we’re fighting for,’” says Allans.
At 14:20, protesters finally broke through the police blockade and reached the road running alongside parliament.
An abandoned police truck stationed outside the gates was set on fire. Fences were torn down and protesters set foot on parliamentary grounds. The incursion was short-lived. Parliamentary security forces quickly cleared them out.
At the same time, police officers went back up Parliament Road in force to drive the protesters back.
While this was happening, journalists were filming, producing minute-by-minute footage from many angles.
One of those videos captured a plain-clothes police officer shouting “uaa!”, the Swahili word for “kill”. Seconds later, a police officer knelt, gunshots were heard and protesters in the crowd collapsed – seven in total.
David Chege, a 39-year-old software engineer and Sunday-school teacher, and Ericsson Mutisya, a 25-year-old butcher, were shot dead. Five other men were wounded, one of whom was left paralysed from the waist down.
Student journalist Ademba Allans trying to reach David Chege and another casualty lying on the ground after the shooting
Footage shows Allans, the student journalist, holding up a Kenyan flag as he tried to reach Chege and another casualty bleeding out after the gunfire.
But who fired those shots?
In the video of the officer shouting, “uaa!”, the shooter’s back was to the camera. But the BBC compared his body armour, riot shield and headgear with that of every police officer at the scene.
In his case, he had an upturned neck guard. We matched his distinctive uniform to an officer in a video recorded seconds later. There, he made sure to hide his face before firing into the crowd. We do not know his name.
Even after the fatal shots, the plain-clothes officer could still be heard urging his colleagues forward to “kill”. He was not so cautious about concealing his identity: his name is John Kaboi.
Multiple sources have told the BBC he is based at the Central Nairobi Police Station.
The BBC put its allegations to Kenya’s police service, which said the force could not investigate itself, adding that the IPOA was responsible for investigating alleged misconduct.
Kaboi has been approached for comment and not replied.
No-one has been held accountable for the deaths of Chege or Mutisya. The BBC found that neither of them was armed.
John Kaboi, the plain-clothes police officer heard urging his colleagues to “kill” outside parliamentThis is the police officer – looking towards the camera with his visor lifted – identified by the BBC as the man who killed David Chege and Ericsson Mutisya
But these would not be the only lives lost. Rather than spook the demonstrators, the killings galvanised them and they tried for parliament again.
At 14:57 they made it in.
Footage shows them breaking down the fences and walking across the parliament’s grounds. Many had their hands up. Others were holding placards or the Kenyan flag.
Warning shots were fired. The demonstrators ducked down, then continued towards the building, filming on their phones as they went.
Once inside, momentum turned to mayhem. Doors were kicked in, part of the complex was set alight and the last of the MPs fled the building.
The destruction was severe but, after five minutes, footage showed them leaving the same way they had come in.
At 15:04, shots rang out again and protesters tumbled across the flattened fence. As the smoke cleared, camera footage showed three bodies lying on the ground. Two were wounded – one raised his hand but could not get up.
The third, 27-year-old finance student Eric Shieni, was dead – shot in the head from behind as he was leaving the grounds. The BBC again found, as in the cases of Chege and Mutisya, that he had been unarmed.
BBC Africa Eye analysed more than 150 images taken during the minutes before and after Shieni was shot. We are able to identify the soldier who fired at the back of his head from 25m (82ft) away – again, we do not know his name.
“The video is very clear,” says Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya.
“The aim was to kill those protesters. They could have had him arrested. But the fact that you shoot his head – it was clearly an intention to kill.
“You have become the judge, the jury and the sentence executioner for Eric.”
The Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) told the BBC the IPOA had not forwarded any request to look into any of its personnel involved in the operations at parliament.
It added: “The KDF remains fully committed to upholding the rule of law and continues to operate strictly within its constitutional mandate.”
After the shooting Allans is seen again, leading the evacuation. Footage shows him carrying a man with blood gushing from his leg.
“I feared for my life, that my parents would never see me again,” he says.
“But I also feared to let other people die when I could help.”
That evening President William Ruto thanked his security officers for their “defence of the nation’s sovereignty” against “organised criminals” who had “hijacked” the protests.
The following day, the finance bill was dropped.
“Listening keenly to the people of Kenya, who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill 2024, I concede,” the president said in a national televised address, adding he would not sign it into law.
But to this day no security officer has been held to account for the deaths and no official investigation has been published.
