Kenyan protesters defy crackdown as police, marchers clash

Ruto

Police blocked roads in a show of force to deter anti-government marchers from the deserted streets of Kenya’s usually bustling capital on Monday, with small groups of protesters clashing with officers on Nairobi’s outskirts.

Many people appeared to be staying home rather than attend the annual so-called Saba Saba Day, meaning Seven Seven, marches to commemorate July 7, 1990 when Kenyans rose up to demand a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi.

From around midday, AFP saw running battles with groups of anti-riot police who fired teargas at small gatherings, with some of the crowd throwing rocks at officers and engaging in destructive looting.

Young Kenyans, frustrated over economic stagnation, corruption and police brutality, are once again engaging in protests that last month degenerated into looting and violence, leaving dozens dead and thousands of businesses destroyed.

Protesters accuse the authorities of paying armed vandals to discredit their movement, while the government has compared the demonstrations to an “attempted coup”.

On Monday, the streets of central Nairobi were quiet after police mounted roadblocks on the main roads, restricting entry to areas that were the epicentre of previous rallies.

Many businesses were closed for the day. Punch