Police disperse anti-graft activists at Uhuru park
Anti-riot police lobbed teargas to block activists from accessing Uhuru Park’s Freedom Corner on Thursday morning.
Led by activists Reverend Timothy Njoya, Boniface Mwangi and Musician Eric Wainaina, the activists intended stage a “state of the nation address” to condemn what they claimed to be rampant corruption by the Uhuru Kenyatta administration.
The protests, dubbed “Tuache Tabia za Diaper” was also meant to condemn the ‘deteriorating living standards’ in the country.
Reverend Njoya was to deliver the state of the address.
The activists were severally repelled from entering Uhuru park, as antiriot police pushed them back to Kenyatta Avenue with batons and teargas.
“The police have shown us that the relics of the past have comeback. It is worrying to deny Kenyans their right to peacefully congregate today,” said Reverend Njoya.
“We are afraid of the current situation, we are lurching from a crisis to another, government flagship projects seem to be only possible in paper and all the procurement scandals, we need to stand up against this,” said Boniface Mwangi one of the conveners of the demo.
Musician Eric Wainaiana was scheduled to perform during the demo among other Nairobi artistes.
During the melee Sadia Galgalo dropped her baby and ran to safety but luckily a police officer picked the one year old girl to safety.
“I felt dizzy and thought my colleague had carried the baby when I fell but I was wrong. I thank God she is ok,” said Saida as she was handed the baby.
The activists had planned to congregate at Freedom corner before heading to parliament buildings.