By: Staff Reporter | The Point Africa News | Nairobi, Kenya

Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has claimed that the mass protests held on Wednesday, June 25, were not ordinary demonstrations but part of an alleged attempt to unseat the government.

Speaking from Harambee House in Nairobi on Thursday, Murkomen described the protests as “an unconstitutional attempt to change the government of the day,” and praised security forces for what he called the successful disruption of the plot.

“Yesterday, police foiled an attempted coup. The demos had nothing to do with freedom of expression. It was a politically orchestrated operation designed to destabilize the country,” said Murkomen.

He alleged that the events were coordinated and funded by unnamed political actors, describing the violence and destruction as acts of “domestic terrorism.” According to the Interior Ministry, five police stations were torched, over 80 police and government vehicles were vandalized, and dozens of shops and public offices were looted in the chaos that unfolded across Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and Eldoret.

Murkomen further claimed that some protesters had been “mobilized using bribery,” with cash and other support transported in ambulances and private vehicles. He called on the judiciary to deny bail to suspects arrested during the protests, arguing that releasing them could lead to further unrest.

However, his comments come amid sharp criticism from human rights organizations and civil society groups, who dispute the characterization of the protests as a coup attempt. Amnesty International and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights have jointly confirmed that at least 16 people were killed during Wednesday’s unrest, most from gunshot wounds. Eyewitnesses and medics have accused police of using live ammunition against unarmed civilians.

The protests began in opposition to the high cost of living and perceived government overreach, including new tax proposals. They were also meant to commemorate the deadly June 2024 protests that left more than 60 people dead. Demonstrators had called for transparency, justice for victims of police brutality, and a review of security policies that they argue infringe on civil liberties.

The government has not provided evidence publicly to support the coup claim, and no opposition leader or activist has been formally charged with plotting to overthrow the state. Calls are growing for an independent investigation into both the violence and the government’s claims.