Kenyan police tear-gassed the convoy of opposition leader Raila Odinga in the capital, Nairobi, as he led the largest protest against President William Ruto's administration since he assumed office. In Kisumu, according to reports, a university student was fatally shot during the protests.
Mr. Odinga accuses the government of lacking legitimacy and failing to address the high cost of living. Mr. Ruto has denied the allegations. Mr. Odinga insists the election was "stolen" despite the fact that Kenya's highest court upheld his victory in last year's election.
He has been driving through the residential suburbs of Nairobi to rally his supporters, and he has vowed to organize weekly demonstrations against the government. Fears of looting have caused many businesses in the city to close. According to sources, at least one person has been shot in the capital.
On the main Kenyatta Avenue, police and demonstrators, some of whom are throwing stones at the security officers, are engaged in pitched battles. The roads leading to key government buildings have been sealed off, as has the president's official residence.
In the western city of Kisumu, Mr. Odinga's stronghold, riot police confronted protesters. According to Kenyan sources, the university student died after being shot in the neck by police in the Maseno neighborhood of the city.
While the police mentioned that demonstrators threw stones and injured six officers, causing security forces to open fire with live ammunition. The police fired tear gas at Mr. Odinga's convoy as he left a hotel following a press conference. Hundreds of his supporters participated in the parade. Later, a representative of Mr. Odinga tweeted that the opposition leader's vehicle had been struck by gunfire.
Prof. Makau Mutua stated, "Our windscreen is severely broken." He provided no additional information, and the location of the alleged incident is unknown. The opposition was denied permission to hold the demonstration and warned that any gathering would be illegal.
Mr. Ruto stated that the government will not tolerate "impunity." He mentioned that their responsible government has a constitutional obligation to protect life and property and that they have a nation to govern.
Kibera, a poor neighborhood with a long history of opposition support in Nairobi, has been the site of some of the fiercest clashes. Charles Oduor, age 21, told sources in another district of Nairobi, "We came here peacefully, but they tear-gassed us." He also mentioned that although they promised the youths jobs and cheap maize flour, the government has not fulfilled either of their promises.
A video shared by Kenya's sources on Monday morning appears to show local bus operators fleeing their central Nairobi transportation hub. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the second-largest opposition party in South Africa, also held nationwide protests to demand the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa due to the deteriorating economy, power outages, and widespread corruption.
Several thousand individuals marched to his official residence in Pretoria, the nation's capital. The government stated that it had authorized the deployment of over 3,000 troops to assist the police in maintaining order, and that 85 individuals had been arrested.
