NAIROBI, Kenya
The anticipated anti-government protests that resumed Wednesday triggered chaos and violence across major cities in Kenya.
Scenes of tear gas shelling, running battles between police and protesters, and destruction painted a grim picture in the capital Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.
Fires lit by protesters along busy highways led to roads’ closure and traffic suspension.
The government also closed schools due to violent protests.
Speaking to Anadolu, Jane Wambui, a 35-year-old businesswoman, expressed her frustration, saying: “The taxes keep increasing, and it’s becoming impossible to make ends meet. We voted for (President) William Ruto with hopes of a better future, but he has failed us.”
Samuel Mwangi, a 50-year-old taxi driver, criticized the government, stating: “The high fuel prices are killing our businesses. We can’t make a decent living when we spend most of our earnings on fuel. Ruto must understand the struggles of ordinary Kenyans.”
Fire trucks were deployed to Kisumu in western Kenya as a fire erupted at the Jua Kali market, where police were engaging protesters in running battles.
As tensions soared across the East African nation, police resorted to extreme measures, opening fire into the air to disperse the protesters.
In Kibera slums in Nairobi, the sound of gunfire echoed through the streets, sending waves of panic among the demonstrators and bystanders caught in the crossfire.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticized the government’s response to the resumption of protests by the opposition.
The rights group called on Kenya’s political leaders to refrain from labeling protesters as terrorists and urged them to respect the rights to assembly and peaceful protest.
