The streets of Nairobi on Tuesday were nothing short of lawlessness as police officers worked with goons to fight off protesters.
Protesters took to the streets calling for justice in the suspected killing of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’ while also calling for the arrest of the Deputy Inspector General, Kenya Police Service, Eliud Lagat.
At 11am, protesters were heading towards Central Police Station when dishevelled youths armed with batons started helping the police to repel the charging protesters next to Jevanjee Gardens in the CBD.
“They are making it hard for us to do business because they come here and loot and rob people. We don’t want them to do that. If they want to protest, let them do so peacefully,” one of them told Citizen Digital.
Minutes later, they were urging police officers to back them up as they pelted stones at protesters, as the police joined in lobbing teargas canisters.
The streets, however, turned volatile as some of the goons were seen mugging people in the backstreets of Nairobi, some riding on motorbikes.
Amid the melee, some of them were chanting “Heshimu President, achana na Ruto” (respect the president, leave Ruto alone), a stark justification of the team working in favour of the State.
A business operator who was among citizens lashing out at the police officers for their foul play, told Citizen Digital that state security has been compromised, and protesters cannot be guaranteed their safety.
“We have seen them working with the police and that is wrong. People came to the streets to call for the arrest of DIG Lagat and justice for Albert Ojwang’. Seeing the police working with paid goons is now unacceptable,” he said.
Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid claimed that politicians have paid the goons to cause mayhem in the CBD.
At the time, along Moi Avenue outside Imenti business complex, a young Kenyan was accosted by two police officers, and seconds later, he was shot and dropped to the ground.
Peaceful protesters had long vacated the streets by 3pm as the goons reigned on the streets.
A video captured by Citizen Digital showed the rowdy team passing outside the City Hall, making victory chants to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
“Sakaja tumelinda jiji…(Sakaja, we have protected the city),” they said.
Protesters have however, maintained that they will not relent on their fight against police oppression and will still take to the streets until DIG Lagat bows to pressure.
They have been paid by politicians: Haki Africa Executive Directive Hussein Khalid says on youths holding batons in volatile protests pic.twitter.com/f5qeale3Ju— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) June 17, 2025
