NAIROBI, Kenya – Police officers deployed in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on Thursday fired live bullets and lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse demonstrators demanding justice for Albert Ojwang, a man who died in police custody under suspicious circumstances.
Chanting “Justice for Ojwang” and waving placards, a group of activists marched through the city from mid-morning, only to be blocked by riot police as they attempted to head toward Parliament.
The standoff escalated at the junction of Harambee Avenue and Moi Avenue, where officers fired tear gas to scatter the crowd.
Witnesses reported that officers used live ammunition to disperse the demonstrators, a move likely to intensify public outrage over the police’s handling of Ojwang’s death.
Mama Ngina has erupted. Kenyans are not playing around. Eliud Lagat must go! #MaandamanoThursday
The protests disrupted normal operations in the city centre, forcing businesses to temporarily shut down as protesters and police engaged in running battles.
By 1:30 pm, the situation remained tense, with additional tear gas rounds fired to prevent protesters from regrouping.
The demonstrations coincided with preparations by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and his team to present the 2025/2026 national budget to Parliament.
Security around government buildings was heightened as protesters insisted on submitting their demands to legislators.
Protesters called for the resignation and arrest of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, who has come under increasing scrutiny amid revelations that CCTV cameras at the police station where Ojwang died had been tampered with.
Ojwang’s death on June 8 sparked national outrage after an official postmortem showed he died from strangulation and assault—contradicting earlier police claims that he had injured himself by hitting his head against a wall.
Police said Thursday’s protest would not be allowed to continue, citing intelligence reports of criminal elements infiltrating the crowd.
Despite the crackdown, activists vowed to keep pushing for accountability and justice.
Protesters near Holy Family Basilica in the Nairobi CBD
