Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, saw police firing tear gas to disperse anti-government demonstrators on Thursday. The protesters aimed to use recent concessions to push President William Ruto to resign.
The “Nane Nane” march, named for the date August 8, follows weeks of pro-reform demonstrations that led President Ruto to cancel proposed tax increases and reshuffle his cabinet.
Nationwide youth-led protests, which began peacefully in June but turned violent, have resulted in over 50 deaths.
Shops were closed and streets were deserted as riot police set up roadblocks and used tear gas to disperse small groups of protesters in Nairobi’s financial district.
Police targeted a group of about twelve protesters chanting “Ruto must go” with tear gas.
President Ruto faced the most significant crisis of his two years in office when he succumbed to pressure in June and postponed new taxes after protesters briefly stormed parliament.
Last month, he dismissed his entire cabinet, except for the foreign minister, in response to activist demands for sweeping changes.
Despite appointing opposition members to the new cabinet, activists denounced the move as a corrupt deal and reiterated their calls for his resignation.
They are demanding major reforms to address corruption and enhance service delivery at both regional and national levels.
President Ruto has claimed that his new cabinet symbolizes national unity and will meet protester demands.
He has promised to investigate police misconduct during the demonstrations while defending their overall conduct.
The newly reconstituted cabinet was sworn in on Thursday, with Ruto emphasizing that national interests outweigh individual political concerns.
Without official leaders and largely organized online, the protests have drawn heightened criticism from President Ruto, who had earlier commended their peacefulness.
On Wednesday in Embu County, Ruto stated, “Our democracy is founded on the rule of law, and there is no place for anarchy, chaos, or violence.”
In anticipation of Thursday’s protests, Kenyan police urged people to steer clear of crowded areas and confirmed that adequate personnel would be deployed across the country.