Anti-abduction demos: Police arrest protesters in Nairobi and Mombasa
What you need to know:
- In Nairobi, which initially experienced relative calm in the morning, saw violence later on as police fired tear gas to break up peaceful demos at Aga Khan Walk. Businesses that had opened were hurriedly shut out of fear.
- In Embu, police dispersed protesters demonstrating against the disappearance of college student Billy Munyiri Mwangi.
- Police also dispersed protesters who had gathered in Mombasa, while also arresting several activists.
Street demonstrations against the abduction and enforced disappearance of critics of President William Ruto’s administration rocked parts of Kenya on Monday.
In the aftermath of the demos, which were curtailed by police by 4pm, Senator Okiya Omtatah and 10 others were arrested in Nairobi. They were taken to Central Police Station, but Mr Omtatah was later moved to Gigiri Police Station.
In Mombasa, police arrested Haki Africa boss Hussein Khalid, Lydia Adhiambo, Lilian Muthike, Mathias Shipeta, Royal Khamisi and others.
In the capital Nairobi, which experienced relative calm in the morning, police fired tear gas to break up demos centred on Aga Khan Walk, and at the Moi Avenue and Kenyatta Avenue junction.
Businesses that had opened were hurriedly shut out of fear of looters as police engaged the protestors in running battles.
While the protesters maintained they were unarmed and peaceful as they vowed to carry on with their demos, police demanded that they go home, saying they did not have a permit.
Under the Kenyan law, organisers are only required to notify police of planned protests, which leaders of the demos maintained they did.
The protestors wielded placards of some of the latest victims of alleged police abductions and enforced disappearances, including Gideon Kibet, Ronny Kiplagat, Steve Kavingo Mbisi, Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli and Kelvin Muthoni.
Police later broke up the demos, arresting some of the protesters including Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah.
Embu
Similar drama was witnessed in Embu town, some 130 kilometres from Nairobi, where chaos broke out as police battled to stop protesters.
Human rights defenders took to the streets to protest against the abduction of a college student, Billy Munyiri Mwangi.
A crowd of protesters had gathered at the town's Central Business District ready to demonstrate when heavily armed security officers arrived and confronted them.
The officers charged at the protesters and fired teargas canisters at the crowd. However, the protesters responded by throwing stones to the officers who were in full combat gear.
Tension mounted as the officers and the protesters engaged in a rock-and-gas exchanges for hours. Eventually, the protesters were overpowered and repulsed.
As the officers chased the protesters, panic- stricken traders hurriedly closed their shops, bringing business in the town to a halt. Later the protesters regrouped, accusing the police of firing teargas canisters without any provocation.
They barricaded the streets using tyres, vowing that no amount of intimidation would deter them from demonstrating over increasing cases of abductions of government critics.
Mr Mwangi, who stays in Nairobi, was at home for holidays when the worst happened on him. On December 21, the 24-year-old student was at a barber's shop in Embu town waiting to be shaved when a white double -cabin pick up pulled up.
Four hooded men, suspected to be government security agents, alighted, grabbed the unsuspecting Mwangi and dragged him towards the car, much to the astonishment of onlookers.
When he demanded to know why he was being arrested, the men reportedly replied; "you will know later", bundled him into the vehicle, and sped off at high speed.
According to the family, their son was innocent and they could not understand why he was abducted and currently being held incommunicado.
His mother Regina Wairimu said she was at home when she received information from the barber that her son had been seized and whisked off to unknown place.
“We are still in shock following what happened to our son, if it is the government which is responsible, I want my son back home alive. And if he has done anything wrong I’m ready to apologise on his behalf,” said Ms Wairimu as she sobbed.
Gerald Karicha, the father, said he is still in agony.
“I’m in pain and shock following the abduction of my son,” said Mr Karicha, adding that he called Mwangi at around 3pm on the material date after he failed to show up at home.
“I wanted to watch soccer with my son,” said Mr Karicha who described his son as highly disciplined and wondered why he was abducted.
“I campaigned for this government and it was elected. Therefore if it is the government holding my son, then it should release him,” he added.
Mombasa
In Mombasa, police dispersed youths who had gathered for the protests at Uhuru Gardens, with county commander Peter Kimani declaring the demos illegal.
Kimani claimed that there are no abductions in Mombasa and suggested that those wishing to protest should do so in Nairobi.
“Is there an abduction in Mombasa? Then why are you protesting here in Mombasa? You should go demonstrate in Nairobi. Show me the permit,” he said.
Despite the organisers arguing that Uhuru Gardens was a public space where everyone had the right to gather, the commander ordered his officers, who had outnumbered the protesters, to push the youth out of the venue.
The protesters, who had assembled by 8.30am, planned to hold the demonstrations at Pembe za Ndovu on Moi Avenue, a common site for protests in Mombasa.
Kitengela
In Kitengela, a hotspot of youth-led anti-government protests in June in Kajiado County, police erected a road block on Namanga Road as they control entry into the cosmopolitan town.
A police helicopter was spotted hovering around, monitoring the situation in the town as officers worked to avert possible “imported violence".
A spot check by the Nation on Monday morning revealed a contingent of heavily armed police officers at Kitengela Police Station ready to be deployed for any eventuality.
Heavily armed police officers manning the road block, a few meters from Kitengela Police Station and at the Kajiado-Machakos county border, inspected all vehicles entering the town.
"We have clear orders from our superiors not to allow outsiders to cause mayhem in town in the name of anti-abduction protests. Such incidents were witnessed previously,” an officer who spoke to the Nation in confidence because he is not authorized to issue press statements said.
Most of the locals who spoke to the Nation condemned the ongoing abduction of government critics, terming it a violation of the Constitution.
"Abducting the youths who criticise the government is a modern day dictatorship that will worsen the already frosty relationship between the current administration and Kenyans,” Joseph Kamanu told the Nation.
Though businesses and traffic flow remained normal, there were few people in the town as most residents stayed indoors.
Kajiado County Commissioner James Taari told Nation security apparatus were on high alert to maintain law and order, especially in metropolitan parts of Kajiado.
"So far no cause of alarm. We are on high alert to avert any violence," Mr Taari Said.
Eldoret
In Eldoret, former presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame was arrested after he attempted to lead anti-abduction demos in the city that is in President Ruto's backyard.
Kigame, who was accompanied by Uasin Association of Artists chair David Mzalendo, was immediately released upon arriving at Central Police station.
Police officers patrolling Eldoret City also confiscated placards that the demonstrators had in their possession.
Follow our live updates on the Dec 30 protests here
Reports by Wachira Mwangi, George Munene, Stanely Ngotho, Steve Oketch and Ndubi Moturi