Kenyan police clash with anti-government protesters

By Evelyne Musambi, NAIROBI Kenya

Police in Kenya clashed with anti-government protesters in the capital, Nairobi, in a fresh round of demonstrations called by the opposition leader.

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Protesters who turned up early Tuesday morning to erect barricades on major roads around the city threw stones at police, who responded with tear gas. A bus was torched.

Business was paralyzed in Kisumu County, an opposition stronghold, as police clashed with protesters.

The opposition is calling for action to tackle the cost of living and reforms to the electoral commission that oversaw last year’s election that was won by President William Ruto.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga rejected the government’s position that the Tuesday protests are illegal and urged his supporters to turn up in large numbers.

Odinga said the protests will be peaceful. The police chief had banned the protests, citing previous violent protests that led to businesses being looted and Kenyans being robbed.

Ruto on Monday warned opposition supporters against destroying private property, saying he would not allow violent protests. He urged Odinga to reconsider returning to talks.

Odinga had called off protests during Ramadan to pave the way for the talks proposed by Ruto. Both the opposition and the ruling party nominated politicians to take part in those talks, but the opposition rejected some of those nominated by the ruling party.

The talks have since halted, and the opposition announced that it would resume street protests.