The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has become the target of national outrage after it emerged that its ambulances evacuated Members of Parliament (MPs) to safety while injured protesters were left behind during the violent anti-Finance Bill protests in June last year.
This happened on 25 June 2024 — the day security forces opened live fire on demonstrators who had stormed the National Assembly in Nairobi’s Central Business District, only for ambulances to respond — not for the wounded citizens, but for the MPs who had been debating the controversial Finance Bill.
A newly built underground tunnel connecting Parliament to Bunge Towers became the secret exit route for politicians — used by ambulances to extract lawmakers while bleeding citizens were left behind.
This action triggered a public backlash that has refused to fade, as many accused KRCS of prioritising MPs over injured civilians.
In its defence, the Red Cross maintained that the decision was driven by necessity, not favouritism. In a statement on social media, the agency said its vehicles had been attacked, staff injured, and that it only transports the wounded — not politicians.
“Our vehicles have been attacked. Staff and volunteers were injured. We have no contact or role in transporting persons other than the injured. The rumours must stop.”
However, this explanation failed to convince the public, especially after the release of the BBC’s Blood Parliament documentary, which showed ambulances moving MPs while citizens screamed for help in the streets. The optics were unforgiving. The visual narrative told a different story — one of privilege, political protection, and double standards in emergency care.
The Red Cross argued that chaos on the ground, the risk to personnel, and the inability to operate freely without government clearance limited their ability to reach protesters.
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A KRCS official emphasised that access to certain areas was restricted and that the organisation had to act quickly in a rapidly deteriorating situation. Still, many believe that had it been protesters inside Parliament instead of politicians, there would have been no rescue mission.
Further defence came from St John Ambulance CEO Fred Majiwa, who attempted to explain the standard operational procedures followed by emergency responders:
“Because organisations like ours are not discriminatory, we provide service to everyone — be it a protester, police officer, parliamentarian, a terrorist, or a civilian. We provide service to all without discrimination.”
But again, that declaration clashed with what many Kenyans witnessed. Protesters were left bleeding on the pavement while ambulances exited the Assembly compound — not en route to hospitals, but to safer zones with unhurt MPs inside. Social media exploded with outrage:
“Ambulances that were supposed to be saving lives were ferrying MPs away while Kenyan bodies were lying there, desperate. As a Kenyan patriot, we’ll never forget!” wrote a user under the BBC YouTube documentary.
Red Cross teams admitted that their vehicles were attacked by mobs and that their workers suffered injuries, possibly compelling them to prioritise their own safety. Additionally, the political climate surrounding the protests placed enormous pressure on institutions to protect state officials — even at the cost of neglecting civilians.
The decision to evacuate lawmakers may also have stemmed from government security coordination, not necessarily the Red Cross’s own initiative. KRCS was likely compelled or requested to respond to a high-level security threat involving Parliament — a mission that sidelined the public interest.