Kenyan authorities have blocked the public screening of Blood Parliament, a hard-hitting BBC Africa Eye documentary that exposes police killings during the anti-tax protests of June and July 2023. The film, which was scheduled for a public viewing and panel discussion at Unseen Nairobi cinema on Monday evening, was abruptly cancelled following reported pressure from government officials.
The documentary has ignited widespread attention and debate online, garnering over two million views within a day of its release on YouTube. It investigates the fatal shootings of protesters outside Parliament buildings in Nairobi during the Gen Z-led demonstrations against the Finance Bill 2024 and President William Ruto’s administration.
BBC’s footage, compiled from over 5,000 images and multiple eyewitness accounts, identifies specific officers believed to have ordered or carried out the killings. Among them is Job Kaboi, an officer from Nairobi’s Central Police Station, who was filmed directing armed colleagues. The documentary also implicates another officer—whose face is concealed—in the deaths of 39-year-old David Chege and 25-year-old Erickson Mutisya. It further alleges that a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer shot 27-year-old University of Nairobi student Eric Shieni in the head while he fled.
The cancellation of the screening has sparked outrage among human rights groups, youth activists, and the general public, who see it as an attempt to suppress accountability and transparency. Many are now calling for the arrest and prosecution of the officers involved.
In response, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said on Monday that it has completed investigations into 22 of the 60 deaths reported during the protests. According to IPOA Chairman Issack Hassan, 36 cases are still under review, while two are in court and others remain with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). IPOA also reported 233 injuries and cited non-cooperation from police and witnesses as a major obstacle to justice.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen is expected to address the matter in a statement on Tuesday, as public pressure mounts for greater accountability in the wake of the documentary’s revelations.
