Kenyan police patrolled the streets of the capital Nairobi on Thursday, barricades were placed on major arteries and many shops were closed ahead of planned new anti-government protests.
The East African nation has been rocked by weeks of deadly protests led by young Gen-Z Kenyans against the two-year-old government of President William Ruto.
The nation’s acting police chief had warned on Wednesday that “criminals” were intent on infiltrating the protests and said people should not trespass and avoid “protected areas” such as the main international airport and the State House, his official residence president.
In a post on X, Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli said “adequate security personnel” had been deployed but advised the public to “be extra cautious when in crowded areas that are likely to become riots”.
While the rallies — which began in June — have grown smaller in recent weeks, posters shared online called for new demonstrations, dubbed “Nane Nane” or Eight Eight in Swahili, to mark the August 8 date.
In his statement on Wednesday, Massengeli warned of “criminals planning to infiltrate tomorrow’s Nane Nane protests and commit further crimes”.
Organizers of the protests have previously accused the “markets” of hijacking their plans for peaceful action and inciting violence.
At least 60 people have been killed since the protests began. They began as peaceful rallies against controversial proposed tax increases, but have spiraled into wider action against Ruto and what many see as wasteful government spending and corruption.
Police have been accused of using excessive force, sometimes firing live bullets at protesters, and dozens of people have been killed, according to rights groups.
Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura on Wednesday urged young Kenyans to “avoid unrestrained protests, which could lead to further economic hardship and hamper their chances of getting a job.”
Mwaura also claimed that the spread of misinformation had contributed to the protests, telling people to “ignore these calls for violence”.
In a bid to deal with the worst crisis of his presidency, Ruto has taken a series of measures to deal with public anger, including scrapping tax increases, reshuffled his entire cabinet and made major budget cuts.
He has found himself caught between demands from international lenders to shore up the government’s finances so he can repay a massive $78 billion debt and ordinary Kenyans struggling with a cost-of-living crisis.
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