Heavy police presence in Nairobi ahead of anniversary protests

A heavy police presence in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Wednesday, ahead of protests planned to mark the anniversary of last year’s anti-tax demonstrations that left 60 people dead and 20 still missing.  

Police in riot gear barricaded parliament and the Prime Minister's office and deployed what appeared to be tear gas.  

They are hoping to avoid the same violent scenes that last year saw demonstrators storm parliament and burn part of the building as lawmakers fled. Watchdogs say police had opened fire on the protestors and the military was deployed.  

Young Kenyans have used social media to plan Wednesday's protests in remembrance of those who died last year. Businesses in the capital remained closed, despite a government spokesman saying it would be a normal working day.  

The government spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura, on Monday said there would be no protests, and that Wednesday was a “normal working day.”

But businesses in Nairobi on Wednesday remained closed and police limited the movement of vehicles into the central business district. Hundreds of Kenyans were on the streets early in the morning, chanting anti-government slogans as police hurled tear gas cannisters at some of the crowds.

Public anger

Kenyan youth are still angry with the current administration, due to corruption, the rising cost of living and police brutality. The recent death of a blogger in police custody and the close-range shooting of a civilian during the protests that followed have only exacerbated public anger.  

Wangechi Kahuria, the executive director for the Independent Medico-Legal Unit, an NGO that tracked the killings during protests, said that Kenyans should be “allowed to mourn and go back home.”

Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja on Tuesday said no unauthorized persons would be allowed inside protected zones such as Parliament and the statehouse.

Local media on Wednesday published the names and photos of some of those who died during last year’s protests. The headline in a major newspaper, The Standard, read “A luta Continua," which means “The struggle continues” in Portuguese and was the slogan of rebels during Mozambique's struggle for independence from colonial rule.

Political analyst Herman Manyora called the protesters “heroes” who paid the ultimate price and should be remembered.

“The authorities should work with the demonstrators to ensure a good commemoration,” he said.

Manyora, however, warned that the protesters remain unhappy with the authorities because the “government has been intransigent and has hardened the resolve of the young people to keep fighting.”

'Incompetence and corruption'

During last year’s protests, President Ruto dissolved the Cabinet that had been accused of incompetence and corruption but maintained most of his previous ministers in his new Cabinet despite concerns.

A finance bill proposing high taxes that had been passed by Parliament was withdrawn, but later in the year, more taxes were introduced through legislative amendments.

President Ruto appointed opposition party members to the Cabinet last year and in March he signed a political pact with his election rival, opposition leader Raila Odinga.