Police in Nairobi have blocked a group of human rights activists from accessing the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) during the ongoing Africa Forward Summit, arresting several people along the Uhuru Highway.
According to witnesses, the activists were turned away as they tried to move closer to the summit venue on May 12, with some forcibly bundled into police vehicles, including foreign nationals.
Police Repel Protesters at KICC During Summit
Several protesters, activists, and foreign nationals were later arrested within Nairobi’s Central Business District after allegedly attempting to breach the convention centre, where more than 30 Heads of State are attending the Africa Forward Summit.
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Security officers repelled the group after they tried to force their way into the venue. The demonstrators were protesting against France and President Emmanuel Macron, accusing them of imperialism and opposing their participation in the summit.
The protesters carried placards and chanted slogans calling for an end to what they described as foreign interference in Africa. One banner read, “Stop the Imperialist Drive to War.”
Police said a formal statement would be issued later, providing further details on the incident.
Summit Brings Leaders Together in Nairobi
May 12 marked the second day of the Africa Forward Summit, which is being co‑hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The two‑day event, held on May 11 and 12 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), has brought together more than 30 African Heads of State and Government, alongside over 4,000 delegates, business leaders, and international partners.
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The summit is the first major France–Africa meeting to be hosted in an Anglophone African country.
It focuses on building partnerships for innovation and growth, with discussions covering security cooperation, economic investment, green energy, technology, entrepreneurship, trade, sustainable development, and reforms to global governance.
Kenya completed preparations for the event after formally handing over KICC to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the summit aims to move “from dialogue to action.”
On the sidelines of the meeting, Kenya and France signed several agreements in areas including transport, energy, agriculture, digital innovation, and the blue economy.
