Several protestors were killed by police bullets while scores were injured as anti-government protestors shut down several many cities across the country including the Capital City Nairobi. Police came under sharp scrutiny for using lethal force and unknown orange colored gas.
Deaths, injuries, destructions, gunshots, clouds of tear gas and thousands of defiant Kenyans marching in the streets were the scenes replicated in major towns of Kenya.
The capital city Nairobi bore the brunt of the violence after what kicked off as peaceful protests degenerated into lethal engagements with anti-riot police.
Out numbered and outclassed the police turned into use of lethal force killing several protestors with live bullets, an act that only added fuel to the protests.
Apart from using the conventional tear gas, police used for the first time an orange coloured gas that an internation media outlet – BBC described made up of a poisonous compound.
The protests started as early as 9:00am in towns like Kitengela while it peaked around noon in Nairobi CBD and by dusk, several deaths were reported and scores of injuries.
Among those injured was a Mediamax journalist Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki who was shot on the legs while covering protests in Nakuru town where deaths were also reported.
It was the same story in Kakamega where goons hired to infiltrate the protests were quickly disarmed by the people.
There were also violent scenes in Karatina town where several protestors were shot and injured as they engaged police in running battles.
The protests have been called by disgruntled Kenyan youth popularly referred to as Gen Z who are calling on President Ruto to resign.
They say Ruto has presided over a regime riddled with corruption, inefficiency, opaqueness, arrogance and basically clueless.
After weeks of protests they have managed for force Ruto to shelve the draconian Finance Bill that sparked the protests and also to dissolve his Cabinet.
They want him to sack all the Permanent Secretaries (PSs), constitute a new IEBC and make a raft of radical changes they have listed.
