Losses as Gen Z demos paralyse businesses and transport in city

A protester throws a tear gas canister back to police officers during an anti-government demonstration in Nairobi, on July 2, 2024. [AFP]

What looked like a calm Tuesday morning in Nairobi, later turned chaotic as Gen Z protesters took to the streets.

By midday, however, the relative calm was distorted, forcing police to block roads leading to the Central Business District.

The demonstrators who still insisted that the government had refused to listen to them donned the city in white T-shirts symbolizing peace as they marched through the city.

The usually vibrant city, known for its fleet of matatus that facilitate transport, saw few in operation.

The closure of major routes forced residents to walk, as both cars and pedestrians were restricted from accessing key areas.

The CBD was cordoned off with a large police presence forcing those who had reported to work to walk long distances back home.

Those from Mombasa Road and Lang’ata Road were forced to walk to Nyayo National Stadium to pick public service vehicles with those going to Waiyaki Way walking to Westlands.

Those from Ngong Road and Valley Road had to walk to the Community while Jogoo Road and Lusaka Road residents boarded matatus at City Stadium.

Pedestrians suffered mugging from protesters, forcing police to shoot at some and injuring several of them.

Some of the protesters who took advantage of the protests to rob pedestrians or break into shops were also arrested by anti-riot and General Service Unit (GSU) officers.

Youth protesters in the city lit fires on Tom Mboya Streets and threw stones along Moi Avenue, causing interruptions as they engaged police in running battles.

Waiyaki Way was completely impassable from around 12pm till the afternoon as youths who had blocked the road with stones battled police officers.

Blocked roads

Outering Road also experienced disruption as protesters blocked the roads with stones and bonfires.

Business owners in Nairobi’s CBD took extraordinary measures to safeguard their establishments, arming themselves with rungus (wooden clubs) as a defensive response to recent events.

This heightened vigilance was a reaction to the theft and property damage that occurred during last week’s protests, where goons infiltrated the crowds disguised as Gen Z protesters and looted shops in the CBD.

In a statement, business owners noted that they will protect their premises.

“We are warning the looters, never to appear in town. We are paying house rents and or loans for our businesses - demonstrate in your own house,” reads part of the statement.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of tear gas, and the normally busy streets were chaotic. Many businesses remained closed.

In response to the escalating unrest, military police were stationed on standby at Nyayo National Stadium. The officers who arrived in military vehicles were prepared for rapid deployment into the city if the demonstrators overpowered the police.

Mary Mueni, a resident condemned the protests saying it’s making life more difficult for ordinary Kenyans.

“I’m supporting peaceful agitation devoid of bloodshed and destruction of property. The beginning of Gen Z’s agitation was good and of pure thought, but somewhere along the way, the devil infiltrated the demonstrations and they became, chaotic and bloody,” she said

She added, “We cannot support any type of violence that would rob us of our children and grandchildren. The Gen z’s are our children. They carry out grandchildren and descendants to come, on their insides.”

Along Moi Avenue, plain-clothes police officers  were seen arresting demonstrators. A police land cruiser lay at a distance were the new tactics police officers have seemingly adopted to apprehend protesters.

In a dramatic arrest, the officers would be seen standing near a crowd of protesters pretending to be following the proceedings before surprisingly pouncing on demonstrators from behind.

The arrested protesters would then be escorted to a waiting police lorry or land cruiser with other officers. Police cordoned off roads leading to State House, Parliament Road and blocked junctions near the CBD. City Hall Way,  was also blocked.

Along Moi Avenue near Clarion Hotel, protesters dropped empty coffins along the road. Police had to carry the coffins to their waiting vehicles to clear the road.

Orange Democratic Movement Central Committee condemned the police excessive use of force to apprehend protestors. “We condemn the ongoing arbitrary abductions of innocent Kenyans who are carted away in the most violent manner and held incommunicado for days,” said Edwin Sifuna.