A showdown looms between protesters and security agencies as the third round of anti-Finance Bill 2024 demonstrations takes place on Tuesday.
Major installations including State House, Parliament were literally barricaded by security personnel from as early as 6 am.
An armored personnel vehicle was stationed outside State House ahead of the protests even as president William Ruto flew out of the official residence for an event in Naivasha.
The move to position heavy security around the installations came after claims there may be groups which will try to breach them as they protest against the bill.
Sources said pockets of personnel military had been put on standby to help police in case they are overwhelmed.
Senior military officers who were out of the country on official visits were recalled. Others who planned trips had them canceled over the protests.
“Some of the military personnel are paranoid and fear police may be overwhelmed and find the protesters in State House. That is why they are on standby,” said an insider aware of developments.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said they are ready to handle the demos opposed to the proposed taxes.
Nairobi will be the main place of concerns for security bosses.
There was also heavy police presence in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), the expected epicentre of the youth-led protests.
The security officers have been deployed on various streets in the city centre with access to areas leading to Parliament being sealed off to the public.
President William Ruto had said the previous protests were peaceful.
By 9 am, there were protests along a number of streets in Nairobi with police dispersing them.
Kindiki said Monday that those who wish to demonstrate can go ahead with their plans as long as they adhere to the rule of law.
“The government of Kenya will respect, uphold, promote and fulfill the inalienable constitutional right of every person peaceably and unarmed to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions to authorities,” said Kindiki.
Kindiki told protesters to breach peace saying protesters “must not interfere with road, rail, sea or air transport in any manner whatsoever.”
This came as those believed to be most vocal about the protests are being abducted, causing public uproar as many Kenyans demand for their immediate release.
Two youths died in last week’s protests and many were left injured.
The mainly Gen-Z-led demonstrations have taken the government by surprise, with Ruto saying over the weekend that he was ready to speak with the protesters.
Discontent over the already high cost of living spiralled into nationwide rallies last week, sparked by the Ruto administration’s proposed tax hikes in the annual finance bill, which parliament must vote on by June 30.
Protest organisers called for the police to be held accountable and reiterated their demands for the finance bill to be scrapped in its entirety.
Several organisations, including Amnesty International Kenya, said at least 200 people were wounded in the protests in Nairobi.
“The country stands at a crossroads,” Amnesty’s Kenya chapter said in a statement Monday.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
