A protester has been shot in Nairobi as nationwide demonstrations marking the anniversary of the 2024 anti–Finance Bill protests continue to escalate in parts of the capital.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, June 25, near the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), where hundreds of demonstrators gathered since early in the day to commemorate last year’s Gen Z-led protests, which were marked by deadly confrontations with police.
According to eyewitnesses, chaos erupted when anti-riot police officers attempted to disperse protesters.
In the commotion, the protester was shot and fell to the ground as others scrambled for cover.
Bystanders rushed to assist the victim, who was later seen being carried away into an ambulance for medical attention before being rushed to the Kenyatta National Hospital.
A police officer was also seriously injured in the CBD.
The female officer who was part of a contingent deployed to monitor the protests sustained a severe head injury under unclear circumstances along Banda Street where chaos had broken out.
Protestors in a rare act of solidarity swiftly came to her aid and lifted her into a nearby St. John Ambulance.
“We don’t know if she was hit by a teargas cannister or a stone, but she fell on the street and thankfully the protestors carried her to the ambulance,” said VOCAL Africa founder Hussein Khalid who as among the first responders.
“We have managed to perform the first aid on her she is now stable according to the St John Ambulance.”
Protests in Nairobi
Crowds began gathering in Nairobi CBD early in the morning despite road closures and heavy police presence along key roads such as Kenyatta Avenue and Moi Avenue.
Parliament Road was barricaded as security forces anticipated mass action while metal barriers were also mounted around Parliament buildings.
Notable public figures seen among the protesters included former Chief Justice David Maraga who joined demonstrators before he was caught in a cloud of tear gas as police attempted to disperse the crowd near the Nation Centre.
Also Read: LIVE BLOG: Former CJ David Maraga Teargassed in Nairobi CBD
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino were also spotted with protesters.
Beyond Nairobi, solidarity protests were also reported in Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru, Kisii, and Kinoo.
Youth in Kisii lit bonfires along major roads, while in Mombasa, the coastal city’s Moi Avenue became the center of rallying activity.
Goons spotted in Eldoret
In Eldoret City, there was tension after a group of individuals armed with batons infiltrated peaceful protests led by youthful Kenyans in Uasin Gishu County.
Also Read: LIVE BLOG: National Assembly Adjourns Prematurely Amid Protests
The individuals suspected to be hired goons joined the crowds and were later seen looting shops and harassing pedestrians.
Eyewitnesses reported that the men, some carrying sticks and crude weapons, disrupted the protest and appeared to act with impunity despite a strong police presence in the city.
Officers in anti-riot gear patrolled various parts of Eldoret City’s CBD, attempting to restore calm and disperse crowds.
The motive behind the goons’ infiltration remains unclear.
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