Tensions flared in the heart of the capital on Thursday as police officers used live bullets and tear gas to disperse a group of demonstrators demanding justice for Albert Ojwang, a young man who died under suspicious circumstances.
The protest, which began around 11 a.m., saw activists chanting and marching through Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), demanding accountability and the arrest of those responsible for Ojwang’s death. The crowd, mainly youth-led, attempted to proceed to Parliament Buildings but was blocked by a heavy police presence near the Harambee Avenue-Moi Avenue junction.
Albert Ojwang was reported dead on June 8, 2025. According to an official postmortem report, he died from strangulation and assault—findings that have sparked outrage and fueled allegations of police involvement.
Police lobbed multiple tear gas canisters to scatter the protesters, who had regrouped several times despite being dispersed. As tensions escalated, officers resorted to firing live bullets into the air and, in some instances, directly at crowds, heightening fears of possible injuries or fatalities.
Several businesses in the CBD shut down temporarily, with shop owners and customers fleeing the area as clashes between police and protesters intensified. The standoff continued into the early afternoon, with reports of additional people joining the demonstrations and prompting further disruptions.
At the time of the chaos, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and his team were preparing to walk to Parliament for the presentation of the national budget—a key annual event that was overshadowed by the unrest.
Police authorities defended their aggressive dispersal tactics, citing intelligence on possible criminal infiltration of the protest. They maintained that the demonstration was unauthorized and posed a threat to public safety.
Protesters were also calling for the resignation and arrest of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat, accusing him of failing to uphold justice in the wake of Ojwang’s death.
As of 1:30 p.m., the situation remained tense, with human rights groups condemning the use of excessive force and urging an independent investigation into both Ojwang’s death and the police response
