Police lob tear gas at rowdy supporters
An empty tear gas canister on the ground after police dispersed a crowd at Nairobi's City Centre on July 7, 2014. PHOTO | GERALD ANDERSON
What you need to know:
- Contingents of police officers were stationed at Uhuru Park throughout the day and many others were deployed in various parts of the city.
- Tension was also reported in Kayole but an officer who spoke to the Nation blamed it on a rush by motorists to get out of harm’s way.
Police officers used tear gas to disperse scores of opposition supporters after the Saba Saba rally in Nairobi.
County police commander Benson Kibue said his officers used tear gas to protect other members of the public, motorists and business premises after some of the supporters became rowdy.
But no one was arrested in connection with the Cord rally, Mr Kibue said.
“So far I can say that nobody has been arrested. No injuries have been reported. A few of them tried to cause chaos at Kencom bus station and were dispersed. Our officers are under instructions to escort them home,” he said. Police also used tear gas to disperse another group on Jogoo Road.
Contingents of police officers were stationed at Uhuru Park throughout the day and many others were deployed in various parts of the city.
Areas outside the Central Business District remained calm with an unusually big number of police officers patrolling estates and business premises.
“We want to make sure that there are no gatherings on the roads especially at night because there should be no demonstrators,” he said.
Tension was also reported in Kayole but an officer who spoke to the Nation blamed it on a rush by motorists to get out of harm’s way.
More police officers were hurriedly deployed on Juja Road because a big crowd that left Uhuru Park was seen marching towards the area.
The police kept crowds off the city centre throughout the day.
Some of the officers strutted around in their new full body protective outfits.
