Several protesters were arrested in Lodwar Town, Turkana by police officers during the Saba Saba Day demonstrations.
The protesters were advocating for lower prices of essential commodities, specifically flour and sugar. In a video clip that circulated, one protester can be heard chanting, “We want prices of flour and sugar to come down.”
However, instead of engaging with the demonstrators, the police officers forcefully dragged them and loaded them into a police vehicle.
The actions of the police officers were captured on camera and raised concerns about the use of excessive force.
Similar scenes unfolded in Nairobi, where dozens of people were arrested along Harambee Avenue at the start of the rally.
Plainclothes police officers apprehended the protesters and forcefully loaded them into police vehicles. Prior to the arrests, the police used tear gas to disperse the gathering crowd.
The supporters of the Azimio movement, advocating for political change, were met with tear gas as they proceeded towards Central Park.
Live footage showed clouds of tear gas and demonstrators attempting to cover their faces to mitigate the effects. Some protesters even used their sweaters to cover tear gas canisters to block the gas from spreading further.
The arrests and use of tear gas have sparked concerns about the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Human rights organizations have called for an investigation into the conduct of the police officers involved and the respect for citizens’ rights to protest peacefully.
