A protest over a disputed gold mining site in Gem-Ramula, Siaya County, ended in tragedy on Monday, April 6, after two young men were shot dead by police. The confrontation began when a crowd of irate residents gathered to demonstrate against what they called an illegal resettlement of a mining company. According to witnesses, the protesters felt the authorities had ignored their repeated pleas for help, and their frustration quickly boiled over.
Area police commander Charles Wafula confirmed the incident, explaining that the group had organized a demonstration without notifying the police as required by law. He said officers moved in to contain the situation, but the crowd became hostile, attacking both the officers and the Ramula Police Post. The protesters damaged critical infrastructure, including police vehicles, and even torched a tractor that had been parked near the post.
As the chaos escalated, police resorted to using live ammunition, fearing the situation would spiral completely out of control. Witnesses on the ground said officers fired live bullets in an attempt to scare off the mob. In the ensuing panic, two youths were shot dead, and the rest of the crowd dispersed in fear.
Siaya County Commissioner Norbert Komora, while condemning the violence, subtly placed blame on the protesters themselves. He said unnamed elements had incited local youth to violence, noting that a similar incident had occurred last year without fatal consequences. “The same cannot be allowed to go on,” he warned, adding that storming police stations is becoming a dangerous pattern.
This latest tragedy echoes a similar event in June 2025, during the height of the Gen Z protests in Matuu, where several demonstrators were shot while attempting to storm Matuu Police Station. In both cases, residents accuse security forces of excessive force, while police maintain they acted to prevent a complete breakdown of order.
