Kenyan authorities have halted the public screening of a BBC documentary titled Blood Parliament, which exposes police officers accused of shooting dead protesters during last year’s anti-tax demonstrations outside Parliament buildings in Nairobi.
The documentary, produced by BBC Africa Eye, was scheduled to screen at Unseen Nairobi cinema on Monday evening, followed by a panel discussion. However, the British broadcaster confirmed that the event was cancelled under pressure from the authorities.
“A screening of BBC Africa Eye’s ‘Blood Parliament in Kenya’ was cancelled due to pressure from the authorities,” a BBC spokesperson stated.
“We are very disappointed not to have been able to share the documentary and panel discussion as planned. In the meantime, audiences can watch the film on BBC Africa’s YouTube channel.”
The film, released just a day ago, has already garnered over two million views on YouTube. It investigates the events of June 25, 2024, when police allegedly used lethal force to disperse Gen-Z-led protests against the 2024 Finance Bill and President William Ruto’s government.
The protests, which spread across Nairobi and major towns, resulted in the deaths of more than 60 people, most of them young demonstrators. Despite public outrage and calls for accountability, the government has not released any investigations into the police response.
The documentary reveals evidence from over 5,000 images, meticulously analysed to reconstruct the timeline of the shootings. It identifies security officials who allegedly ordered the use of deadly force and pinpoints the officers who fatally shot three young protesters.
