Businesses remained closed in the early morning in Kenya’s Nairobi capital as the #NaneNaneMarch-dubbed protests kicked off today. The controversial appointment of the new cabinet secretaries has elicited mixed reactions across the country. Protesters have termed the move contrary to their expectations.
The #NaneNaneMarch was planned late last month after weeks of anti-government protests across major towns in the country. The rising unrest did not immediately stop, but there was a relative quiet after the nomination.
The police, as of early morning, lobbied teargas and arrested a couple of peaceful protesters within the Nairobi Central Business District. Compared to the previous gatherings, today’s demonstrations seem to be a little low and demotivated over fears of police brutality, abductions, and forceful arrests.
The president presided over the ceremonious swearing-in of the approved cabinet secretaries today at the Nairobi Statehouse, a process that coincided with the planned demonstrations in the city. Protesters have dismissed the new cabinet, even though Ruto and a section of the opposition have insisted on its ability to take the crumbling economy to the next level.
The rest of the country, including the deemed protest hot spots of Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nakuru counties, was relatively calm as the anti-government gatherings began in Nairobi CBD. As of yesterday, some governors and political leaders had warned against holding protests in their counties.
The police were very punctual in the early morning and installed roadblocks along the major roads heading to the CBD to prevent protesters from gaining entry. The acting IG, Mr. Gilbert Masengeli, had warned of a planned infiltration of goons to disrupt the peaceful protests and inject more pain into business owners.
The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) has forewarned the police officers against using excessive force to quell the protests. On its social media handle (X), the body stated that the investigation into the alleged police killings is still ongoing. When asked the status of their findings, they stated that culpable names had been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) for processing.
