The government has blocked the screening of a BBC Africa Eye documentary on the killings of protesters during June 2024’s anti-tax demonstrations.
The documentary, Blood Parliament in Kenya, was due to be shown at a Nairobi restaurant-cinema on Monday, but the event was abruptly cancelled following government intervention. According to the BBC, authorities halted the screening at the last minute.
“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 spokesperson said. The film is now available on BBC Africa’s YouTube channel.
The exposé focuses heavily on the fatal shooting of Eric Shieni, a finance student at the University of Nairobi, who was gunned down from behind while leaving the grounds of Parliament on 25 June 2024.
The BBC reports that Shieni was unarmed at the time of his death. The investigative team examined over 150 photographs taken before and after the shooting and identified the officer believed to be responsible.
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While the officer’s identity remains officially undisclosed, images of him have been widely shared on social media. The BBC asserts the individual is a member of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The KDF has rejected these claims. In a statement, spokesperson Colonel Paul Njuguna said the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is handling the broader investigation into protest-related violence.
“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.
The deployment of KDF alongside police was authorised under Gazette Notice 7868 of 2024 by then Defence Minister Aden Duale, citing a national security emergency under Article 241 (3)(b) of the Constitution.
Human rights advocates and legal experts have since demanded accountability. “It is time the details in the exposé are investigated, in addition if at all anyone is found guilty then action should be taken against them,” said Hosea Manwa of the Law Society of Kenya.
Government figures indicate 42 people were killed, 132 went missing, and 1,208 were arrested during the nationwide protests.
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