Tuesday’s protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District took a dark twist when groups of hired gangs appeared alongside uniformed police officers, openly intimidating civilians. Witnesses reported that some arrived on motorbikes, others on foot, carrying crude weapons like sticks, clubs, and whips, operating under the seemingly approving watch of the very officers tasked with protecting the public.
This unsettling partnership blurred the lines between state-sanctioned policing and mob intimidation. The gangs weren’t hiding. They acted with confidence, often taking frontline positions to confront protestors. Shockingly, some even coordinated with law enforcement, suggesting a deliberate strategy to silence dissent.
While the National Police Service (NPS) has long stood by the slogan “Service to All,” what unfolded on the streets of Nairobi painted a very different picture. Police officers didn’t just stand aside; they appeared to enable these groups. Protestors were outnumbered and attacked not only by law enforcement but by emboldened civilians who took on policing roles without any legal authority.
This development follows Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s recent warning to protestors. “This country must be a country under the rule of law. Let them not try again, they’ll find me in town,” he said. While the governor did not explicitly call for the use of hired enforcers, the crackdown that followed his remarks raises serious questions.
Similar incidents were previously reported in towns like Kakamega, Kericho, and Uasin Gishu, where civilians allegedly recruited to support police operations showed up with brand-new farming tools, used as weapons against demonstrators.
By Yockshard Enyendi
