Water cannon and whips: Police in Nairobi clash with protesters

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00:01Tear gas, water cannons, even whips.

00:05In Nairobi Monday, the police used almost every tool in their arsenal

00:09against the few protesters who'd managed to gather in defiance

00:13of the government's lockdown of the city,

00:15where they lit bonfires and hurled stones at roadblocks.

00:20The government, which says it's committed to protecting life and property,

00:24had made it as difficult as possible for people to demonstrate Monday.

00:28Closing roads into the city's centre to almost all vehicles and pedestrians,

00:32leaving many streets deserted.

00:35They've blocked the roads. They're blocking us from our work.

00:40I'm a roadside vendor and I need to get to town to buy merchandise to sell along the road.

00:44But they've closed them. What do they want us to eat?

00:47People are being beaten like dogs for protesting for their rights.

00:52The youth-led protests in June 2024 initially focused on tax hikes.

00:57It expanded to cover frustrations over economic stagnation, corruption and police brutality.

01:04Last month, the death of a blogger in police custody also became a lightning rod for public anger.

01:10Closing roads does not mean people are not going to protest. We are going to protest.

01:17The police should come in peace. By the look of these trucks, it's clear they want violence.

01:23Monday's planned demonstrations also marked the 35th anniversary of pro-democracy rallies on the 7th of July 1990,

01:30that paved the way for a transition from a one-party state to a multi-party democracy.

01:36Today, as protesters call for President William Ruto's resignation, he has no clear challenger,

01:42having forged an alliance with the main opposition leader, Ra'ila Odinga, ahead of the next vote in 2027.

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