NAIROBI, Kenya
Kenyan riot police fired tear gas Monday to disperse demonstrators gathered in Nairobi for a day of action called by the opposition to protest the country's punishing cost of living crisis, our correspondents said.
The government of President
William Ruto has vowed to take a tough stance over the demonstrations, which
opposition leader Raila Odinga vowed would go ahead despite not receiving
police authorisation.
Demonstrators also hurled
rocks at anti-riot police outside government offices in the capital, while
about two dozen people were arrested, including two opposition MPs,
correspondents at the scene said.
"We will be here until
they run out of tear gas," said one protester, Markings Nyamweya,
27.
In one part of Nairobi's
biggest slum Kibera, demonstrators also set tyres alight, according to our
correspondent’s report.
"I want Kenyans to come
out in large numbers and show the displeasure of what is happening in our
country," Odinga, who narrowly lost last year's election to Ruto, told
supporters on Sunday.
Kenyans are suffering from surging prices for basic necessities, as well as a sharp drop in the local shilling against the US dollar and a record drought that has left millions hungry.
"We came here peacefully
but they tear gassed us," said Charles Oduor, 21.
"They lie to us everyday.
Where is the cheap maize flour they promised? Where are the jobs for the youth
they promised? All they do is hire their friends."
Nairobi police chief Adamson
Bungei said on Sunday that police received requests to hold two demonstrations
only late Saturday and early Sunday, when normally three days' notice is
required for public rallies.
"For public safety,
neither has been granted," he said.
Interior Minister Kithure
Kindiki warned on Sunday that anyone inciting public disorder or disturbing the
peace would be prosecuted.
"Day of showdown,"
was the headline in Kenya's The Standard newspaper on Monday.
Many businesses in Nairobi
were shut ahead of the demonstrations, with some employers telling their staff
to work from home.
Odinga said he called the
demonstrations to protest the "skyrocketing" cost of living and the
"stolen" election last August.
"Since Mr Ruto was sworn
in six months ago, he has continued to run the country with a lot of
contempt," he said, highlighting the high cost of basics such as fuel,
cooking oil, school fees and electricity.
Odinga, leader of the Azimio
la Umoja party, has long protested that the August election was fraudulent and
denounced Ruto's government as "illegitimate".
According to official results,
Odinga -- who was making his fifth bid for the presidency -- lost to Ruto by around
233,000 votes, one of the closest margins in the country's history.
The Supreme Court dismissed
his appeals, with its judges giving a unanimous ruling in favour of Ruto,
finding there was no evidence for Odinga's accusations.
Ruto for his part declared
that he would not be intimidated by the opposition demonstrations, saying:
"You are not going to threaten us with ultimatums and chaos and
impunity."
"We will not allow
that," he said, calling on Odinga to act in a "legal and
constitutional manner".
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