Kenyan Police Open Fire on Protesting Crowd in Nairobi Amid Rising Tensions
As Kenyans mark Saba Saba Day, police brutality and economic frustrations drive protests
On Monday, Kenyan police responded with gunfire to a crowd of protesters in Nairobi, resulting in at least one fatality with visible injuries.
This incident took place during Saba Saba Day, an annual event commemorating the 1990 uprising that demanded a return to multi-party democracy after years of rule by former President Daniel arap Moi.
The recent protests have been driven by economic stagnation, perceived corruption, and repeated acts of police brutality, leading to dozens of deaths and widespread destruction in June 2024.
Accusations of government involvement in hiring armed vandals to disrupt the movement, coupled with comparisons to an 'attempted coup' by authorities, reflect the escalating tensions.
The eerie quietness of Nairobi's streets on Monday was a result of police roadblocks limiting access to central areas, with many businesses closed in observance of the day.
Activists like Hanifa Aden have criticized these measures as a 'total shutdown and forced holiday executed by the state.'
The unrest is fueled by economic disparities, exacerbated by social media and the realization that around 80% of Kenyans are trapped in poorly paid informal employment.
The police response has been marked by serious human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, with at least 80 deaths recorded since June 2024.
Despite President William Ruto's alliance with opposition leader Raila Odinga after his election in 2022, which initially promised a new era of political stability, the violent crackdowns continue to spark further unrest among the populace.
Activists and experts alike agree that these tactics resonate with methods employed during the 1990s, but they are ill-suited for the current global context.
'The government seems not to have realized that the world has changed,' noted Gabrielle Lynch, an African politics expert from Britain's University of Warwick.
The lack of fear towards the state among the population suggests a cycle of violence that continues unabated without a clear resolution in sight.
This incident took place during Saba Saba Day, an annual event commemorating the 1990 uprising that demanded a return to multi-party democracy after years of rule by former President Daniel arap Moi.
The recent protests have been driven by economic stagnation, perceived corruption, and repeated acts of police brutality, leading to dozens of deaths and widespread destruction in June 2024.
Accusations of government involvement in hiring armed vandals to disrupt the movement, coupled with comparisons to an 'attempted coup' by authorities, reflect the escalating tensions.
The eerie quietness of Nairobi's streets on Monday was a result of police roadblocks limiting access to central areas, with many businesses closed in observance of the day.
Activists like Hanifa Aden have criticized these measures as a 'total shutdown and forced holiday executed by the state.'
The unrest is fueled by economic disparities, exacerbated by social media and the realization that around 80% of Kenyans are trapped in poorly paid informal employment.
The police response has been marked by serious human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, with at least 80 deaths recorded since June 2024.
Despite President William Ruto's alliance with opposition leader Raila Odinga after his election in 2022, which initially promised a new era of political stability, the violent crackdowns continue to spark further unrest among the populace.
Activists and experts alike agree that these tactics resonate with methods employed during the 1990s, but they are ill-suited for the current global context.
'The government seems not to have realized that the world has changed,' noted Gabrielle Lynch, an African politics expert from Britain's University of Warwick.
The lack of fear towards the state among the population suggests a cycle of violence that continues unabated without a clear resolution in sight.
