Teargas as police engage protesters in running battles, Nairobi CBD area.

There is a standoff between police officers and protesters in the Nairobi CBD as demonstrations called by Azimio la Umoja kicked off. Police have been engaged in running battles as they lob teargas to disperse protesters across the city.

At around 10.00 am, a delegation of Azimio MPs led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna stormed the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).The senator and the protesters scampered as teargas was lobbed, with those who had started gathering outside KICC also taking cover.

A similar situation has been witnessed in Kibra Constituency, where protesters barricaded roads and hurled stones at police officers who had been deployed there. Kibra is one of the strongholds of Azimio leader Raila Odinga.Armoured police vehicles and heavily armed police officers engaged Kibra protesters in running battles as they sought to open the barricaded roads. In Kawangware’s Congo area, three protesters have been arrested as police dispersed crowds that were gathering to participate in the protests. There is heavy deployment of security in the area to repulse the protests.

However, roads leading to State House were barricaded on Monday morning, with police turning away motorists using the roads to access their places of work. Many were forced to use alternative, longer routes to access their workplaces.

…And in Kisumu City, charged protesters have taken to the streets. The protesters lit bonfires in Kondele, a notorious spot for Raila Odinga supporters in Kisumu. Several bodaboda riders led other protesters in amplifying their message.The same has been witnessed in Kitale, where pro-Azimio protesters took to the streets amid heavy police presence.

Other parts of the country were relatively quiet. It was business as usual in Kapsabet town and Mombasa city CBD. Azimio is protesting the high cost of living in Kenya, and has maintained that President William Ruto is in office illegally. and the opposition is calling for IEBC servers to be opened for scrutiny into the August 2022 election results and also a reduction in the cost of living.

Article By Suzy Nyongesa.