Nairobi: Police Forced to Flee as Gen Z Charge after Them During Protests
- A group of police officers in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) experienced a difficult time trying to control protesters
- It reached a point when the officers were forced to retreat as the angry Gen Z protesters charged towards them, a moment that was caught on camera
- The anti-riot police officers attempted to disperse the angry demonstrators by firing tear gas, to no avail
Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya
Nairobi: The Gen Z protests that were supposed to be peaceful took an ugly turn as police and protesters engaged in running battles.
Source: Getty Images
Gunshots, tear gas fumes, anti-William Ruto slogans and screams filled the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) as the protests gained momentum.
Were police overpowered by protesters?
In a video shared by Citizen TV, police appeared to be overpowered by protesters who kept charging towards them.
Armed police officers were captured fleeing as the protester pursued them. The police trucks speedily drove off as chants from protesters grew louder.
The youth were captured hurling stones at the trucks, but just when the police appeared like they retreated, tear gas canisters were unleashed on the crowd.
The protesters took cover for a while and began charging at the officers again.
Police officers in Olkalou in Nyandarua county were also forced to retreat as protesters overpowered them.
The residents who were captured carrying what appeared to be a body charged towards them as they screamed in anger.
Officers who had barricaded the area were captured fleeing as tensions escalated. The protesters hurled stones at the officers who had already boarded their waiting truck.
Olkalou residents were heard chanting that President Ruto would only rule for one term after the police retreated.
Kenyans went out on the streets in commemoration of the youth who lost their lives during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
What else you need to know about Gen Z demos
- The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) ordered all the media stations to stop live broadcasting of the June 25 anniversary protests
- Two youths taking part in the Gen Z protests were seriously injured in Nairobi's CBD
- A TikToker named Timmy Odoyo shared a screenshot of a text from his grandmother strongly warning him against participating in protests
Nairobi police officer flees after being cornered by protesters
In a related story, an anti-riot police officer was forced to seek refuge in a building in the CBD after he was cornered by Gen Z.
Source: UGC
A viral video that was captured along Moi Avenue showed a tense police officer holding his helmet in one hand. He keenly scanned the crowd that was chasing him.
Upon noticing that the chants had grown louder, the officer begged the security guards of the nearby building to let him in so he could avoid the wrath of the Gen Zs.
It was later established that the officer had been left behind when his colleagues retreated from a crowd of angry protesters.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
