City Hall set on fire during Anti-Finance Bill protests

People stand next to a burnt car near City Hall Nairobi. Part of it was burnt during Anti-Finance Bill protests. [Collins Kweyu,Standard]

A section of City Hall was set ablaze on Tuesday by demonstrators protesting against the Finance Bill 2024.

The pre-colonial building along City Hall Way has been the home of mayors since independence.

Presently, the building houses Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja's office.

The County Assembly was also set on fire. It was reported that a fire consumed the committee rooms and some offices on the ground floor.

According to witnesses, angry protestors chased away County askaris outside the governor’s office, allowing them to gain entry and set some sections on fire.

This happened after protestors made historic entry into the Parliament buildings after overpowering police officers.

“The protestors who stormed into the governor’s office were being chased from parliament,” one of the County askaris said.

He added that this was the first time that the protestors had gained access to the building.

It took the intervention of a police water cannon to put off the fire from outside the office of the governor.