Kenyan police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators in Nairobi on Thursday.
This was after protesters returned to the streets despite President William Ruto scrapping contentious tax hikes after deadly clashes.
The protests—largely led by young Kenyans—caught the authorities off-guard as President Ruto’s government alternated between a hardline approach and calls for dialogue.
Dozens of protesters gathered in Nairobi’s central business district, where soldiers and police in anti-riot gear blocked roads leading to State House and parliament, according to AFP journalists.
Officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas at small groups of protesters and arrested at least seven people, with scuffles erupting as some demonstrators threw stones at police, AFP journalists reported.
“The youth will not rest,” Lucky, a 27-year-old university graduate, told AFP.
“It’s our future we are fighting for,” he said, adding that he did not trust Ruto, who had earlier likened the demonstrators to “criminals” before backing down.
Many shops remained shuttered as traders worried about further unrest.
Protesters also rallied in the port city of Mombasa and the opposition bastion of Kisumu, with some blocking roads and lighting fires in the lakeside city.
Get instant and latest news updates via Our WhatsApp Community or Google News online channel.
