Welcome to our live blog covering the protests at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. Kenyans have promised to take to the streets with a unified message: President William Ruto must leave office or face greater accountability. This wave of protest follows a brief hiatus in public demonstrations, reignited by the President’s recent actions that have sparked widespread discontent.
The controversy began with President Ruto’s dismissal of several cabinet secretaries, only to later reinstate six of them and announce a new cabinet list of 11 members. This move has been perceived as a sign of political instability and has fueled public anger. Protesters are now threatening demos at JKIA, a critical hub of Kenya’s economy, threatening economic disruption to amplify their demands.
Stay tuned for comprehensive coverage, as we follow the protesters’ march, document the authorities’ response, and capture the voices of those demanding change.
4:40 pm: Githurai residents clash with police in running battles. Initial reports indicate injuries among both officers and protesters.
4:16 pm: Normalcy has returned to most parts of the country, including Nairobi’s CBD, as protestors have shifted to Mombasa Road in an attempt to head to JKIA.
4:02 pm: Police continue to engage with protesters and are deploying tear gas canisters along Outering Road in Nairobi’s Pipeline area. Youths have been hurling stones at the police, leading to the paralysis of most businesses. The area is heavily patrolled by police vehicles, including water cannons.
3:47 pm: Police engage in running battles with protestors in Karatina.
2:20 pm: Tinted Subarus lacking number plates arrive on Outering Road in Nairobi as demonstrations by protesters persist. Protesters have gathered and blocked part of Outering Road.
1:16 pm: Crowds are building in Nairobi’s CBD, while JKIA remains relatively calm. Police have begun using teargas in Mlolongo town to disperse gathering protesters.
Walituma polisi wote na goons JKIA
Saa hii CBD kumekaa na hakuna wezi wanaiba.
Now you know who the thieves are pic.twitter.com/t24TGG3MbJ
— LIL OCHi (@jaredsubaru) July 23, 2024
1:01 pm: Protests have begun along Outer Ring Road near the Pipeline area, with police deploying tear gas to disperse the crowds that had started to gather. The road has been blocked with stones.
12:01 pm: Heavy security is deployed in Nairobi as youths, armed with clubs and hired by the business community, patrol Kitengela town.
11:45 am: Journalists and friends of Kenyans and visitors arriving at JKIA are not permitted beyond the main entrance. Only those with an official travel ticket are allowed inside.
11:44 am: Numerous boda boda riders seen traveling in groups around Nairobi CBD, carrying placards.
Bodaboda riders in Nairobi CBD with placards written “Let’s give President time” and “Tumechoka na Gen Z” #OccupyJKIA#AirportNotForSale pic.twitter.com/k0FHDAfN44
— Kaiser Mwadime, HSC (@KaiserMwadime) July 23, 2024
10:06 am: Increased police presence observed at JKIA entrance and North Airport Road; airport operations continue normally with flights arriving and departing as usual, with no signs of protests yet.
9:15 am: Nairobi CBD sees minimal activity, with few people and noticeable police presence at key locations throughout the city.
8:02 am: Minimal activity observed at JKIA amid heightened security presence.
