• Business was disrupted as a group of protesters tried to march to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
• A group of protesters had reached Nyayo Stadium when police officers confronted them with tear gas and live bullets.
Image: FILE
Nairobi remained the centre of action as youth-led protests entered the fifth week on Tuesday.
Business was disrupted as a group of protesters tried to march to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
A group of protesters had reached Nyayo Stadium when police officers confronted them with tear gas and live bullets.
One person was shot and wounded.
The victim was hit in the hand and later picked up by an ambulance.
The protesters had hyped their intention to occupy the airport on social media, leading to heavy deployment of police to the facility.
This paved the way for protesters to move freely in Nairobi CBD.
A group of people on motorbikes had initially patrolled the city streets with pro-government messages. They were accompanied by some Nairobi MCAs.
But they were quickly repelled by another group of boda boda riders through physical aggression.
One motorcycle was burnt and two riders beaten up by protesters.
Police officers, led by Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei, patrolled the streets.
A group of protesters had reached Nyayo Stadium when police officers confronted them with tear gas and live bullets.
The chaos remained active for two hours as the protesters tried to breach a security zone and proceed to the airport in vain.
A similar scenario was witnessed along Outering Road and North Airport Road, where protesters tried to breach security checkpoints.
Police used tear gas, live bullets and water cannons to disperse the protesters.
Acting police IG Douglas Kanja said, “No one should try to access the airport if he or she is not wanted there. This is a prohibited zone.”
He was accompanied by acting Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Eliud Lagat, his Administration Police Service counterpart James Kamau and DCI boss Mohamed Amin.
Kanja said the protesters had not alerted the police of their plans, which made it difficult to organise how to receive their petition, if any.
Security was beefed up on roads near Parliament Buildings as MPs resumed sessions.
Similar developments were witnessed on roads near State House in Nairobi and other major state lodges in major towns.
Police headquarters said the protesters were not violent and they had handled the situation professionally.
There were also pockets of protests in Mombasa, Kisumu, Kisii, Kajiado and Nakuru.
In Mombasa, at least four people were injured after police fired tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters along Moi Avenue.
The injured included a vendor who was struck on the forehead by a tear gas canister.
The trader, who has a hearing impairment, was caught unawares as the protesters ran towards his direction.
Two other young protesters were injured after falling during the running battles.
They received first aid from medics and fellow protesters.
Heavy police deployment was witnessed on major streets in Mombasa, forcing business owners to close their establishments.
Two police vehicles, a lorry and a pickup, had their number plates covered.
Officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit of the Administration Police, who were in the covered pick-up, continued to fire tear gas at groups of protesters.
“They do not want to see any group of people,” a protester said.
At least five people have been killed in Mombasa since the protests started last month.
In Kisumu businesses remained closed with minimal movement.
The demonstrations started at 11.30am but they did not last an hour as the protesters were dispersed by police using tear gas.
Residents largely stayed indoors, with only a few shops opened.
In Kondele, some businesses were open but public transport remained paralysed.