Kenya police fire tear gas, water cannons on anniversary of pro-democracy protests
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An empty road where the police had restricted traffic ahead of protests.
PHOTO: REUTERS
NAIROBI - Kenyan police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters in the capital Nairobi on Monday as they marked the 35th anniversary of pro-democracy rallies.
Activists rally every year on July 7 to mark the date in 1990 when opponents of then-president Daniel Arap Moi launched a bid to transform the country into a multiparty democracy.
The protest is called “Saba Saba” – “seven seven” in Kiswahili – because of the date.
Authorities have ramped up police deployments in Nairobi since youth-led protests in June 2024 that initially focused on tax hikes but expanded to cover issues such as graft, police brutality and unexplained disappearances of government critics.
A Reuters witness saw police use tear gas and water cannons on July 7 to disperse crowds along a key artery in Nairobi, as hundreds of demonstrators advanced, with some blowing whistles as they marched.
Police had earlier blocked major roads leading into Nairobi and heavily restricted vehicle traffic within the city, leaving streets deserted save for the demonstrators who turned up on foot.
Most schools and at least one shopping mall were shut in anticipation of possible trouble.
“We are not ready to go back (home) because who will fight for our rights then? We will be here till evening,” Mr Francis Waswa, a construction worker, told Reuters.
High alert
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, who in June described the protests as “terrorism disguised as dissent”, said on his X account on July 6 that the government was committed to protecting life and property.
“Our security agencies are on high alert to deal decisively with criminals and other elements of ill intent who may seek to infiltrate peaceful processions to cause havoc, mayhem, or destruction of property,” he said.
On July 6, unidentified people forced their way into the offices of the non-profit Kenya Human Rights Commission to stop a press conference ahead of the protests on July 7.
At least one person, a board member, was injured, said Mr Ernest Cornel, who works at the commission.
Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Most schools and at least one shopping mall remained closed on July 7, Reuters witnesses said.
The death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody in June gave fresh impetus to protests, with the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reporting 19 deaths across the country during demonstrations in June.
Prosecutors approved murder charges against six people, including three police officers, over Mr Ojwang’s death. All six pleaded not guilty. REUTERS