Police use teargas to clear Thika Road after barricade spanning hours by protesters

As hundreds of youths poured out in to the streets to mark the June 25th anniversary of Gen-Zs protests, Thika road was barricaded with burning tyres for several hours prompting police to use teargas to disperse the protesters.

Riot and other uniformed policemen charged at the protesters at the junction of Thika superhighway and the Eastern Bypass near Ruiru where the youths had lit bonfires using tyres, paralyzing transport for more than three hours.

This led to running battles in which police later pursued the youths to Ruiru town where pandemonium broke out as matatu operators and commuters at the the main stage ran helter-skelter amid a cloud of teargas smoke.

Businesses in Ruiru and along the Eastern Bypass were closed hurriedly by the owners amid fears of looting in the mayhem. Some traders had opted not open their premises at all, including supermarkets, Safaricom shops and utility stores.

However, leaders of the protesters blamed the police for provoking a violent confrontation, maintaining that they had kept their part of the bargain by remaining peaceful.

According to E.M. Mkombozi of Youth for Social Justice organization, it is time serious police reforms were carried to align with changing times and the current constitutional dispensation.

“When we say there is need for police reforms, we mean business because the way our officers and their leaders are behaving towards the protests leaves a lot to be desired. We cannot allow the country to slide back to the Moi era times where dissent was not tolerated,” said Mkombozi.

He maintained that the protesters needed police to escort and protection but not to be teargassed. “This barbaric behaviour has been overtaken by time and must come to an end,” the youth leader added.

Earlier, public transport between Thika and Nairobi was adversely affected by the events of the day with only a few vehicles plying on the route.

Many commuters were stranded and workers failed to go to their stations some fearing they might get stranded under the volatile conditions.

David Maina, a mitumba clothes seller who operates within Ruiru town, said he decided to close his operations due to uncertainty of the situation.

“I usually go for my stocks in Nairobi but today I decided not to risk and instead opted to stay at home and wait until all is clear,” said Maina.