Kenya’s police have banned protests in central Nairobi until further notice. They claim organized crime gangs have found their way into the demonstrations.
Activists planned to gather at Uhuru Park on Thursday but faced heavy police presence. Protests started a month ago against tax hikes, leading to at least 50 deaths.
Protesters demand Ruto’s resignation and reforms to tackle corruption and poor governance. “We have intelligence that criminal groups plan to use the protests for attacks and looting,” said police chief Douglas Kanja Kiricho on Wednesday. “No demonstrations will be allowed in the Nairobi Central Business District and its surroundings to ensure public safety.”
The protests are organized online without support from opposition politicians, causing the biggest crisis of Ruto’s two-year rule. Ruto offered to form a broad-based government, but the opposition rejected this, calling for a constitutional convention instead.
What began as peaceful rallies often turned violent. On June 25, some protesters stormed parliament, and police opened fire. Ruto’s office planned talks to address grievances, but by Thursday, there was no sign of them starting. Protest leaders demand immediate action on corruption.
“The police and President Ruto cannot suspend constitutional rights,” activist Boniface Mwangi wrote on social media platform X.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) warned the media against inciting violence in their coverage. “Some outlets have compromised objectivity and balance in reporting crime and crisis situations,” said CA chief David Mugonyi in a July 17 letter.
Nairobi remains tense, with citizens waiting to see if the protest ban will restore order or fuel more dissent
