Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets on Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of anti-government protests that killed at least 60 people and culminated in the storming of the national parliament.
Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the capital Nairobi and blocked incoming traffic towards the central business district.
The protests come amid ongoing public anger over the use of force by security agencies, fueled by the recent death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody.
Six people, including three police officers, have been charged with murder over Ojwang’s killing.
The demonstrations were largely peaceful in the port city of Mombasa and the city of Nakuru, but tensions ran high in Nairobi.
Opposition leaders and members of the public placed wreaths near razor wire barriers outside parliament, criticizing the government’s perceived failure to address protesters’ concerns. “A year later, nothing has happened,” said Kalonzo Musyoka, leader of the opposition Wiper Party.
Western embassies, including those of the US, Britain, and Canada, released a joint statement urging all parties to facilitate peaceful demonstrations and refrain from violence.
They also expressed concern over the use of plain-clothed officers and hired counter-protesters to disrupt peaceful protests.
The Kenyan government has promised to address any policing violations through institutions like parliament and the judiciary.
