NAIROBI, Kenya — The number of Kenyans who died during Wednesday’s nationwide protests over police brutality and bad governance has doubled to 16, according to the state-funded human rights commission.

Property was also destroyed in the protests that attracted thousands of frustrated young Kenyans. At least two police stations were razed down by angry protesters.

Kenyans demonstrated Wednesday in 23 of 47 counties across the country calling for an end to police brutality and better governance. Thousands chanted anti-government slogans, and the protests morphed to calls for President William Ruto to resign.

Many protesters were enraged by the recent death of a blogger in custody and the shooting of a civilian.

The country’s interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen on Thursday assessed damage to businesses in the capital, Nairobi, where goods were stolen from multiple stores. He said police would follow up with owners whose CCTV cameras captured the looters to ensure swift arrests.

— The Associated Press