A heavy police presence was reported across Nairobi and other towns early on Wednesday as demonstrators marked the one-year anniversary of last year’s deadly anti-Finance Bill protests.
Police fired tear gas along Kimathi Street and near the General Post Office on Kenyatta Avenue to disperse crowds. Riot officers lobbed canisters at groups—some simply walking or even playing football—promptly forcing them to scatter.
At Central Police Station, where teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang was killed on June 8, 2025, police used more tear gas to disperse mourners attempting to lay wreaths.
Security was bolstered around Parliament and State House, with razor wire and fortified roadblocks. Access roads to the Central Business District remained sealed, forcing commuters to alight at designated drop-off points and causing traffic delays.
Elsewhere, police clashed with protesters in Kitengela, using tear gas and engaging in running confrontations as marchers lit bonfires on the Nairobi–Namanga highway. In Kisii town, vuvuzelas pierced the morning air as demonstrators demanded accountability with chants of “Ruto must go!”
A similar scene unfolded in Eldoret City, where a section of the youth took to the streets in solidarity with the nationwide protests, joining calls for government accountability and justice.
In Mombasa, a more peaceful procession took place, with hundreds marching through the city centre waving Kenyan flags. However, even there, police used tear gas to control protest movements.
This comes as Kenyans gather once more to mourn last year’s fatalities during the Finance Bill protests. While some turnouts have remained peaceful, police across multiple regions have relied heavily on tear gas to disperse crowds marking the anniversary.
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