As anti-government protests intensified on July 19, youth demonstrators in Nakuru blocked the road leading to Mazembe grounds in Rhonda.
Nakuru town West MP Samuel Arama was on the ground during the protests and faced a confrontation from a hostile crowd near the Shabaab roundabout. In response, Arama brandished a firearm, escalating the already volatile situation.
He also told members of the fourth estate that the anti-government protestors in Nakuru had vandalized his hotel property.
The situation turned chaotic at the Nakuru Stima line, with protestors setting tires ablaze and barricading the streets. Foot traffic in Nakuru City remained low, with only a handful of businesses open amid the tense atmosphere.
A significant police presence was deployed around State House Nakuru and along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway to maintain order.
Youth protestors in Nakuru further heightened tensions by igniting bonfires on the road in Shabaab.
Despite stern government warnings, Raila Odinga, the leader of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Party, declared that the upcoming series of anti-government demonstrations would be a game-changer for the nation.
On Monday, July 17, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition reaffirmed their determination to proceed with the three-day protests, scheduled from Wednesday, July 19, to Friday, July 21. This stance remained steadfast, despite the government’s strong cautionary stance.
Here are the photos captured by the hawkeyed Joseph Openda.
