Protesters in Nyanza face off with police over Finance Bill
Businesses ground to a halt in several towns across the Nyanza region as thousands of protesters took to the streets in a fresh wave of anti-government demonstrations.
The unrest, driven by demands for the resignation of the Kenya Kwanza government and fueled by growing frustration over economic policies, led to significant disruptions and at least one fatality.
In Rongo town, Migori County, one protester was reportedly killed during prolonged skirmishes between police and Gen Z protesters. These confrontations, marked by tear gas and stone-throwing, spread across key towns including Migori, Rongo, Awendo, and Uriri. The volatile situation mirrored similar scenes in Kisumu City and its surrounding towns—Maseno, Ahero, Katito, and Muhoroni.
Shutdowns and battles
In Kisumu, the normally bustling Oginga Odinga Street was eerily quiet as shop owners closed their businesses, wary of potential looting and destruction. A spot check by People Daily confirmed that many business outlets in the city chose to remain shut amid the violent protests. Major malls, such as United Mall, which houses a variety of businesses, stayed closed throughout the day.
Protesters in Kisumu, under the leadership of Boniface Akatch from the Kondele Centre for Justice, called for greater government accountability. Akatch blamed the state for ignoring public grievances, which he argued had now boiled over into street protests.
Transport across the region was severely disrupted as motorists and public service vehicle (PSV) operators withdrew from the roads, fearing clashes. Many PSV operators, threatened by protestors with arson if they continued their routes, chose to keep their vehicles off the roads.
In Siaya County, protests spread through Siaya town and the sub-counties of
