Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Three injured reported in explosion.
Israeli media citing occupation police: Preliminary reports of car bomb in Jaffa, ambulances rushing to vicinity.
Israeli media: One soldier killed, 11 wounded during the security incident in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, and the fate of the 4 soldiers remains unknown
Israeli media: IOF withdraw from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood
Israeli media: Face-to-face clashes with machine guns between Hamas and Israeli forces in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Helicopters sent to evacuate troops from Al-Zaytoun are under heavy fire
Israeli media: A new security incident at an additional location in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Search for 4 missing soldiers in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
Israeli media platform: In the second incident, two injured people were transported from Gaza, and we are awaiting the authorities to notify the families to provide additional details shortly
Israeli media platform: 3 security incidents reported in Gaza

Kenya police chief quits after deadly protests

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 Jul 2024 21:52
3 Min Read

Rights organizations have accused police of deploying excessive force, amid claims of abductions.

Listen
  • x
  • Kenya police chief quits after deadly protests
    Protesters block the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway in the Miolongo area, Nairobi Kenya on July 2, 2024. (AP)

Kenya's police commander has resigned in response to criticism for scores of fatalities amid anti-government rallies, becoming the latest to depart as President William Ruto attempts to handle the greatest crisis of his almost two-year administration.

Ruto has "accepted the resignation" of Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, who has held the position since November 2022, according to the President. His deputy Douglas Kanja has been designated as acting chief.

After at least 39 people died during a protest over a tax hike that has since been abandoned, Kenya's President William Ruto proposed a large reduction in public spending last week amid growing popular outrage.

The attorney-general and all cabinet members were removed, except for Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Some of the young Gen-Z Kenyans spearheading the rallies had asked for Koome's removal, with rights organizations accusing police of deploying excessive force, amid claims of abductions.

IT specialist Cyrus Otieno, 27, stated that Koome "must be prosecuted for police brutality."

Although some hailed the cabinet appointment, several young Kenyans were dissatisfied with Ruto's failure to deliver on his 2022 election pledges to generate employment and improve their fortunes.

Related News

16 dead, 400 wounded in Kenya violent protests

500 Turkish ground forces arrive in Somalia amid al-Shabab attacks

Protests go violent

Initially peaceful, the protests quickly intensified as police opened fire on protesters storming parliament on June 25, ransacking the partially burnt building.

39 people have been killed and 361 reportedly injured in Kenya's nationwide anti-government protests, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights announced in a statement last week.

Analysts said the cabinet reshuffle gave the potential of a fresh start but cautioned about additional dangers.

Gabrielle Lynch, professor of comparative politics at the University of Warwick, told AFP that Ruto's challenge is forming a new cabinet that includes "various vested interests, while simultaneously calming popular anger in the face of an explicitly leaderless movement."

Ruto promised drastic cutbacks to government expenditure last week, including travel and renovation expenses, and indicated he would borrow more to pay for some services, despite Kenya's large foreign debt of over $78 billion, or almost 70% of GDP.

The situation prompted US-based Moody's to cut Kenya's debt rating deeper into junk territory, warning of a bleak prognosis that will make borrowing even more expensive for the cash-strapped government.

Ruto said Thursday that he will "immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government" but did not elaborate.

This week, media stories have been rife with conjecture about a "national unity" administration, which may include a coalition led by Raila Odinga, the veteran opposition leader ousted by Ruto in the 2022 election.

  • Kenya
  • William Ruto
  • Kenyan protests

Most Read

Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025
Although it does seem likely they will launch some kind of operation in northern Gaza, one which will accelerate its mass murder of civilians, but will fail to achieve its stated objectives. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Here is why the Israeli occupation of Gaza won’t work

  • Opinion
  • 26 Aug 2025
A scene showing an al-Qassam Brigades fighter during an ambush on July 7, 2025, in a video released by the al-Qassam Brigades on August 26, 2025 (al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

Al-Qassam reveals Beit Hanoun ambush targeting Israeli forces

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Global Sumud flotilla sets sail to break blockade on Gaza
Palestine

Global Sumud flotilla, largest yet, to set sail bound for Gaza

A Palestinian flag flies next to a Slovenian, center, and a European Union flag, right, at the government building in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Thursday, May 30, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Slovenia mulls entry ban for Israeli PM Netanyahu

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint news conference following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, May 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Turkey severs 'Israel' trade ties, closes airspace to Israeli aircraft

Maduro vows Venezuela is 'impenetrable' as US warships mear Caribbean
Latin America

Maduro vows Venezuela is 'impenetrable' as US warships near Caribbean

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS