Youth came out to remember fallen heroes but were met with violence, barricades

Police officers on Wednesday bombarded protesters in Nairobi with countless tear gas canisters and bullets, in a day that saw the government’s fear of dissent reach hysterical levels. It was a day the government’s horror crystalised into a nightmare in the face of the citizen’s fury. 

Several people were injured as thousands of Gen-Z protesters marched to commemorate the June 25, 2024, demonstrations, which resulted in a breach of Parliament and the Supreme Court and the killing of several demonstrators.

A tear gas canister fired directly at a young woman’s face gravely injured her on the mouth. Another protester, a young man, had a canister blast on his hand as he picked it up, severely wounding him.

The central business district looked and sounded like a war zone of sorts, courtesy of the empty streets and the echoing blasts of gunfire ringing out from all corners. The sight of razor wire barricades on roads leading to the State House and Parliament, bonfires, and thick smoke fogging the city’s streets granted Nairobi the image of a city in strife.

Social media mobilisation had announced a plan to march to the State House to “force Ruto out of office”, sending security agencies into panic mode. They almost made their threat true, marching as close as the State House Girls High School, a few metres from the State House, an expression of their anger at failing government systems.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen was in his office by 5 am and later walked around Parliament, a power move ostensibly aimed at painting the police as in control of affairs. A day earlier, he had urged the police to deal “ruthlessly with criminals”.

The criminals in question could mean anyone from protesters to thieves who take advantage of the protests to loot businesses and mug Kenyans. President William Ruto has previously referred to protesters as “organised criminals”.

The height of this fear was the shutting down of KTN, NTV and K24, leading television stations, for broadcasting the protests live.

A warning by the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) had earlier “directed all television and radio stations to stop any live coverage of the demonstrations”, arguing that it offended Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution and Section 461 of the Kenya Information and Communications Act.

“Failure to abide by this directive will result in regulatory action,” a statement by the authority’s Director General, David Mugonyi, read in part.

The Standard Group defied the directive, dismissing it as as “illegal” and a contravention of Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution, which guarantee the freedom of expression and press freedoms, arguing that the CA had no powers to issue the threat they did.

“Consequently, we will sue any signal carrier who switches our channels off air without any explanation that can stand the scrutiny of the law, justice, fairness and reason. We expect contractual obligations to be observed in full; any breach thereof would undoubtedly trigger pursuit of legal redress, including compensation for the losses,” the Standard Group said in a statement that asserted that the live coverage was in the public interest.

This fear would extend to the tear-gassing of medical camps set up to offer first aid to the injured. But the police in the CBD were markedly more restrained, undoubtedly owing to the immense scrutiny under which the police find themselves.

The police are in a spot over the killing of Albert Ojwang’, a 31-year-old teacher, in police custody, and the unprovoked shooting of Boniface Mwangi Kariuki at close range last week. They preferred to rain rubber bullets indiscriminately at protesters. There are reports, which this journalist could not independently verify, that the police also deployed live bullets.

Yesterday’s protests were punctuated by clashes between police and protesters, much like any other demos the Gen-Z have staged. Rocks flew as a significant number of demonstrators charged at the police, often overpowering them into hasty retreats.

Some demonstrators were captured assaulting a female police officer caught in the melee along Kenyatta Avenue. This, coupled with the widespread looting of shops in downtown Nairobi, showed the worst of the protests, hijacked by thugs.

However, there were positive acts, such as the escorting of isolated police officers to safety. Gen–Z demonstrators also clashed with looters, pushing them out of the city centre before some of them later regrouped.

The larger lot of protesters remained peaceful throughout the day, waving flags and chanting “We are peaceful”, futilely hoping the police would let them march through town.

Demonstrators began their procession at the Central Police Station, where Ojwang’ was killed, according to a statement by a police officer charged with the murder. A lone pillion passenger aboard a motorbike hoisted Kenya’s flag as they zoomed past officers and protesters alike.

Others also waved their miniature flags and sang the National Anthem, chanting anti-Ruto slogans, peacefully mingling with police officers they found at the gates. A different contingent of officers dispersed them with tear gas, and they stormed into the city centre to mark the historic day.

“I am here on the streets, protesting against police brutality. We have seen a lot of cases of police brutality over the past year, and no justice has been done. We have a DCI boss who lied under oath and who is still in office. If that is the kind of government that is in place, we don’t expect justice,” said a male protester, who identified as “Mwananchi.” Most female protesters we interviewed preferred to introduce themselves as “Wanjiku”.

Police had blockaded several sections of the city to prevent protesters from storming the CBD. They turned away matatus and buses  heading to the city centre back, forcing passengers off. Many of them, young Kenyans, walked to town.

They had planned for the day, mobilising on social media with the hashtag Siri-Ni-Numbers. At midday Tuesday evening, the national anthem rang out across several neighbourhoods in Kenya’s capital, a rallying call to show the importance of the day. Mobilising as many Gen-Z as possible, they believed, would deter goons, often hired by politicians to disrupt peaceful protests.

Their strategy worked. Hired goons largely kept off the demos, with muggers and looters assaulted by peaceful demonstrators. Boda boda operators had joined them in the morning, cautioning against the deployment of goons.