Police were out in force in the heart of Kenya’s capital on Tuesday following demands for additional protests against President William Ruto’s troubled administration.
Activists led by young Gen-Z Kenyans began peaceful protests against profoundly unpopular tax hikes a month ago, but they devolved into deadly violence last month, compelling Ruto to cancel the planned increases.
Although mass protests have subsided since scores of people were slain and parliament was stormed in late June, activists continue to demand the president’s resignation, with new rallies planned for Tuesday under the hashtag “RutoMustGo”.
An AFP journalist reported that there was a large police presence in Nairobi’s core business sector, which had previously seen protests, while teenagers armed with clubs stood guard outside their stores.
“This morning we received credible intelligence indicating that certain organised criminal groups have planned to infiltrate, disrupt and destabilise the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, which could potentially jeopardise the safety of demonstrators,” Douglas Kanja, the acting nationwide police chief, said in a statement to reporters.
Some earlier protests were marred by looting and property damage, with campaigners saying that their peaceful protest was hijacked by “goons”.
According to rights groups, 39 people have died since the marches began on June 18, with police accused of using excessive force against protestors.
Ruto, who is dealing with the most serious crisis of his nearly two-year presidency, has attempted to appease the demonstrators by canceling the tax increases, dismissing almost his entire cabinet, and promising to slash wasteful government expenditure.
However, the protest movement has evolved into a broader campaign against Ruto and his administration, as well as a demand for action against corruption and justice for victims of alleged police violence.