The National Police Service (NPS) in Kenya recently found itself in the position of refuting a widely circulated press statement that falsely claimed it had raised alarms over the "increased involvement of foreigners and undisclosed immigrants" in violent protests across the country, particularly in Nairobi. On Monday, July 7, 2025, the NPS unequivocally termed the statement as "fake," underscoring the pervasive challenge of misinformation during periods of heightened national tension.
The flagged statement, purportedly issued by an NPS spokesperson, contained inflammatory allegations. It claimed that foreign nationals from over eight countries, including Kenya's neighbors Uganda, South Sudan, and Somalia, had been arrested in connection with extensive property destruction, looting, and the burning of police stations. It further alleged that the NPS, in collaboration with the immigration department, was intensifying crackdowns on undocumented immigrants and urged "patriotic Kenyans" to identify and report illegal immigrants for arrest and deportation. The NPS's swift rebuttal served to curb the spread of potentially divisive and xenophobic narratives.
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This fake statement emerged amidst a backdrop of significant unrest and strong government condemnation of recent protests. The period leading up to and during the Saba Saba commemorations saw several police stations attacked and vandalized. During the June 25 protests alone, at least eight police stations – including Juja, Villa, Molo, Ongata Rongai, Matuu, Mai Mahiu, and Ol Kalou – were either burned down or severely vandalized. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen even disclosed that at least five guns were stolen during the chaos at the Dagoretti Police Post in Kiambu County, highlighting the severity of the confrontations.
CS Murkomen has adopted a resolute stance on the nature of these demonstrations, famously declaring that what unfolded in parts of the country was "terrorism disguised as dissent." He emphatically stated, "There was no peaceful demonstration, it was riots, chaos and anarchy." Murkomen asserted that the unrest was not merely violence but "an orchestrated campaign of terror, an assault on our people, our Constitution, our institutions, our values, and the very soul of this Republic." He pledged firm action against both the planners and executors of such acts, viewing what was billed as peaceful protest as a "calculated disguise, a coordinated descent into chaos masked as civic expression."
Following the intense investigations launched by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), tangible actions have been taken. DCI boss Mohamed Amin confirmed that what began as peaceful demonstrations were indeed infiltrated and hijacked by a "well-coordinated network of criminal actors." As a result, at least 485 people have been arrested in connection with the violent scenes. Of this considerable number, 448 suspects have already been charged in court, while 37 remain under active investigation for serious crimes. The charges against these individuals are severe, ranging from murder and terrorism to rape, gang rape, arson, robbery with violence, incitement, and possession of illegal firearms.
