Increasingly violent political protests threaten Kenya's stability

Kenya’s government on Tuesday banned the opposition party from protesting against the country’s electoral commission after police killed two demonstrators on Monday during violent clashes. Policy analysts warn the increasing protests threaten the country’s economic and political stability.

Protesters blocked the streets and burned tires in Kisumu, the opposition party’s stronghold, where police responded with gunfire, tear gas, and water cannons. First responders took six demonstrators with gunshot wounds to Kisumu’s main hospital, according to the Red Cross. Other protests took place in cities across the country.

“This is not fair,” demonstrator Michael Omondi told the AFP. “We cannot have police shooting people every other time they are exercising their rights.”

The opposition party, Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), has staged Monday protests for six weeks, calling for Kenya’s electoral commission to be disbanded. It believes the commission’s top officials should resign over allegations of corruption and bias in favor of Kenya’s current president, Uhuru Kenyatta, during the 2013 elections. The party disputed those results, which gave Kenyatta victory over opposition leader, Ralia Odinga.

Kenyatta’s ruling party is pushing for changes through constitutional means, within the commission, which involves sending a petition to parliament. But the opposition argues a constitutional approach favors the ruling government, since members of the ruling party make up the parliament’s majority.

Kenya’s internal security minister, Joseph Nkaissery, said the protests do not fall within constitutional parameters that allow protests as a legal right of citizens.

“It is extremely dangerous for anybody to challenge the government decision,” Nkaissery said. “The consequences are grave.”

But the demonstrators plan to double down, increasing protests to twice a week, beginning next week. Norman Magaya, the chief executive officer at the CORD secretariat, said unlawful orders must be treated with contempt.

Kenya’s general elections begin in 15 months and major opposition leaders have threatened to boycott them if the electoral commission still isn’t reformed. Kenya suffered similar violence after the 2007 elections, when 1,200 people died and 600,000 had to flee their homes.

Sebastian Gatimu of the Institute of Security Studies in Nairobi, Kenya, worries the country could be heading down a similar path. Rights groups accused the Kenyan police of using excessive force. A similar protest on May 23 left three dead and several injured.

The weekly protests have led to the shutdown of some schools and businesses. Gatimu said demonstrators often loot businesses during protests, and the damages so far total about $10 million.

“Kenya is still a developing country,” Gatimu said. “Many of the youths are not aware that when it comes to peaceful protests, there are protocols.”

A meeting last week between Kenyatta and Odinga failed to diffuse the growing tension. The conflict will end only when both sides are willing to reach a consensus, Gatimu said.

“It’s very important to follow the constitution, but in a case where there are some fears, dialogue between these two parties is very important,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.