Kenyan police on Thursday dispersed protesters in the capital Nairobi and carried out numerous arrests as people took to the streets to commemorate those killed in anti-tax protests two years ago.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said a total of 355 people were arrested across various parts of the country. He called those detained “criminals” and apologized for the use of barricades and other security measures aimed at controlling the protests.
“We regret the inconvenience caused by these measures, while appreciating their effectiveness in protecting the city and other parts of the country,” Murkomen told reporters.
A Reuters journalist witnessed police firing tear gas to disperse people who had gathered peacefully outside a Nairobi police station after officers arrested six individuals outside the parliament building, where they had laid flowers in remembrance.
According to Kenya’s National Commission on Human Rights, organizers had planned to mark the second anniversary of the protests that left at least 60 people dead after protesters stormed the parliament complex in 2024.
In Nairobi, shops and restaurants in the central business district remained closed as police set up checkpoints with water cannons.
Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb, reporting from Nairobi, explained that the strong police response to the protests stemmed from the government’s desire to avoid a repeat of the events two years ago.
“This follows a series of different protests in recent weeks, some led by political rivals of President William Ruto, others by transport unions over fuel price hikes, and a simmering unrest that has never truly subsided since that fateful day two years ago when dozens were killed,” he said.
Opposition leaders joined alleged victims of police violence and families of protesters killed in the crackdown as they marched toward parliament.
“As parents, we only asked to come here … to mourn and lay flowers for our children. But when we arrived, we were shocked that police blocked us,” said Edith Wanjiku, whose 19-year-old son Ibrahim Kamau died in 2024.
“It’s shameful,” she continued.
“And one thing I want to ask President Ruto: the police who killed the children — because they have been identified — I only ask for justice for those children and also compensation,” she added.
Protest organizers said they want a credible investigation into past police conduct and guarantees against the use of excessive force.
Although President Ruto acknowledged what he called “extralegal and extrajudicial actions by members of the security forces” and said last week that 2 billion Kenyan shillings ($15.5 million) had been set aside for victims of protest-related abuses, some activists argue that amount is insufficient.
