Kenya’s police have banned demonstrations in central Nairobi until further notice following weeks of anti-government protests, which they claim have been infiltrated by organized criminal gangs.
Activists had planned to “occupy” Uhuru Park on Thursday, adjacent to the city center, amid a significant police presence across Nairobi.
At least 50 people have been killed in the youth-led protests against proposed tax hikes, which began a month ago. The demonstrations have continued despite President William Ruto withdrawing the legislation and dismissing nearly his entire cabinet.
Activists are calling for Ruto’s resignation and demand reforms to address corruption and poor governance.
“We have credible intelligence that organized criminal groups are planning to exploit the ongoing protests to execute attacks, including looting,” said police chief Douglas Kanja Kiricho in a statement on Wednesday.
“No demonstrations will be permitted in the Nairobi Central Business District and its surroundings until further notice to ensure public safety.”
The protests, organized online without apparent support from opposition political figures, have created the most significant crisis of Ruto’s two years in power.
Last week, Ruto promised to form a broad-based government, but the opposition coalition rejected this idea on Wednesday, instead calling for a constitutional convention.
The rallies began peacefully but later turned violent, with some demonstrators briefly storming parliament on June 25. Police responded with gunfire.
Ruto’s office planned “multi-sectoral” talks this week to address protesters’ grievances, but there was no indication by Thursday that they had begun.
Leading protest figures have rejected the invitation, demanding immediate action on issues such as corruption.
“The police and President Ruto have no power to suspend rights guaranteed by the constitution,” activist Boniface Mwangi wrote on social media platform X in response to the protest ban.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has cautioned the media against “perpetuating” violence in their coverage of the protests, which could potentially cause widespread civil unrest.
Some outlets have “compromised objectivity and balance in the reporting of crime, security operations, and/or crisis situations,” wrote CA chief David Mugonyi in a July 17 letter to a media executive seen by media.
