Fearing protests, Kenyan authorities barricade capital

By Monday morning, many roads leading to and out of Nairobi’s central business district had been sealed off by police.

Cars formed long queues as security personnel erected metal spikes in the middle of streets.

Local media reported heavy police deployments at intersections and major roundabouts, and roads leading to State House, the residence of the Kenyan president.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to rally against the government of President William Ruto, which they accuse of corruption and brutality.

The rallies are timed to coincide with ‘Saba Saba’ which translates as 7/7.

Then in 1990, nationwide protests took place in Kenya as people demanded free elections.

Under pressure, the government at the time approved the formation of political parties.

Police operations restricting traffic and mass movement began Sunday evening.

Local media reported that some buses had been stopped from accessing Nairobi on suspicion that they were ferrying protestors.

Kenya’s fifth president became a remarkably unpopular leader barely two years into his presidency after proposing aggressive tax measures that many saw as a betrayal of his campaign promise to support working-class people.

Protestors last July stormed parliament, forcing the government to drop the unpopular finance bill.

Ruto said new taxes were necessary to keep the government running.