Business in major towns across the country was disrupted and transport paralysed as Azimio supporters held anti-government demonstrations, some of which ended in chaos, violence and death.

K24, the television station affiliated with People Daily, reported that at least eight people had been killed in violent protests; three in Mlolongo, two in Kitengela and one in Emali (the three towns are on the Nairobi-Mobasa highway); one in Mathare slums and one in Sondu. According to K24, the Sondu victim died from a spear attack.

Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o, in a press statement, described the violence as “clashes” between two communities.

“As we investigate the real cause of these conflicts that have claimed lives, and for the sake of peace and good neighbourliness, I wish to appeal for calm,” he said even as he castigated the police, accusing them of protecting the attackers.

In various parts of the country, numerous protesters and police officers quelling the chaos were injured.

In Kangemi, several pupils were seriously injured at New Kihumbuini Primary School when police lobbed teargas into the institution to disperse protesters who were hiding there, leaving several children injured. The learners were later evacuated for treatment.

 Unconfirmed reports also indicated that one man was shot and seriously wounded in the Makadara area of Nairobi. However, the Azimio leadership — which had scheduled a rally at the Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi called it off, claiming they had received intelligence reports that there was a plan to attack protestors. The scenario was the same in other areas, including Meru, where an attempt by Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua to address a rally was thwarted by police.

“Late last night, we received intelligence of a most heinous plan by Kenya Kwanza to ferry armed goons who would attack peaceful attendees of our rally at Kamukunji,” Azimio leader Raila Odinga said at a press briefing at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation, where he announced the cancellation of the rally.

In a departure from past practice where all the Azimio leaders converged in Nairobi, the team spread their protests in various towns and cities with Raila’s former running mate, Martha Karua, former Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya and former Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni leading the protests in Meru.

Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka led separate protests in Makueni as former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah retreated to Western where they led protests in Kakamega and Busia.

Business owners

Chaos and violence were reported in Mlolongo, where protesters vandalised the Nairobi Expressway, one of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy projects. Other protesters barricaded roads in Eastlands and Kangemi area.

In Central Business District, the streets were deserted as workers and business owners kept away, fearing that the protests might turn violent. In many parts of the capital, there was little or no traffic.

Major bus stops were empty as matatu operators shunned entering the town centre to avoid burning or vandalising their vehicles by hooligans.

In the outskirts of the city, stone-throwing youths lit tyres and fires on various roads and engaged police in running battles. In various instances, protesters overpowered the police, prompting the officers to retreat. In Syokimau, youths vandalised the Nairobi Expressway and burned a police car and a private vehicle. 

Due to the destruction of the superhighway, Moja Expressway Company announced the closure of the Syokimau, Mlolongo and Standard Gauge Railway toll stations and ordered motorists headed towards Mlolongo to exit at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport station.

In Kitengela, protesters attacked the local police station where scores of officers were injured during the confrontation.

“This economy is hurting ordinary Kenyans such that life has become unbearable,” one protestor in Kitengela said.

In Mathare, one person was shot dead when a group of rowdy protesters attacked Anti-Riot Police on patrol along Juja Road.

“I am headed to Dandora, but I can’t go beyond the Moi Airbase because the police have blocked the road. I am being directed to use unfamiliar routes,” a boda boda rider said in the wake of the chaos.

At Kamukunji, where Raila was to lead a rally, police dispersed a group of Azimio service providers, preventing them from putting up a dais at the grounds where it was anticipated that opposition leaders would address their supporters before proceeding to the city centre.

Meanwhile, a spot check by the People Daily team established that many learners did not report to schools within Nairobi and some teachers also failed to report to work for fear of violence and also because public transport had been disrupted.

  However, speaking in Nairobi, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu maintained that no learning institutions had been affected by the countrywide protests.

Security personnel

“Our learning institutions have run as normal. There were no interruptions as such. Learning went on as normal in all our schools and we also want to thank our teachers because they went to school,” he said. “We have not had any incidences where there have been disruptions. Our security personnel have ensured that the situation is normal.”

In Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, residents faulted the demonstrations, which have in the past led to the destruction of property and loss of lives. In many towns in the region, residents went about their daily activities with many business premises opened as usual.

In Nyeri town, transport was paralysed as drivers protested high fuel prices but no chaos was reported.

In Mombasa, police hurled teargas canisters to disperse protesters who had staged demonstrations along Moi Avenue in the Central Business District. Police thwarted attempts by the protesters led by Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki, Mombasa Woman Rep Mohamed Zamzam and Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba to march towards State House, Mombasa.

The running battles between the protestors and police lasted more than two hours, bringing to a standstill normal operations in the city centre.

In Makueni, Kalonzo found himself in the thick of things when heavily armed police thwarted his entourage from addressing crowds in Wote town. Police hurled teargas canisters at the Wiper leader’s motorcade in the hide and seek game which lasted the better part of the day. Unconfirmed reports indicated that one man died during the protests at Emali town in the county.

In Kisii, similar running battles were witnessed after protesters stormed the streets, burnt tyres and engaged security officers in running battles at Mwembe Estate along the Kisii-Kilgoris Road and Daraja Mbili for the better part of the day.

Kisii County Commissioner Tom Anjere and Police Commander Charles Kases visited the scene as the public helped clear the road even as protesters kept on dodging security officers and barricading the road.

In Kisumu, police engaged the protestors in running battles as they tried to gain access to the Central Business District in vain. On the busy Kisumu-Nairobi  highway, there was no daily traffic flow. Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili, Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron and County Assembly Speaker Elisha Oraro led the demos.

No casualties were reported.

Reported by Samuel Kariuki, Christine Musa, Robert Ochoro, Noven Owiti, Harrison Kivisu, Kepher Otieno