Kenya police tear gas protesters, journalists

NAIROBI, (AFP) — Kenyan police fired volleys of tear gas Thursday in the capital Nairobi, injuring several journalists, as small groups of protesters gathered on what was billed as a fresh day of action against embattled President William Ruto.

The East African nation, usually one of the most stable in the region, has been rocked by weeks of sometimes deadly protests against Ruto’s two-year-old administration, mostly led by young Kenyans.

As Ruto was overseeing the swearing-in of a revamped cabinet, riot police were out in force in the central business district where many shops were shut, while roadblocks were set up on major arteries.

Just a few dozen demonstrators turned out in the center of Nairobi, chanting “we are peaceful.”

But police fired tear gas multiple times, wounding several journalists including two Agence France-Presse (AFP) staff members who said officers had fired tear gas canisters directly at them.

The International Press Association of East Africa said at least three journalists had been shot “at close range” with tear gas canisters.

The Nairobi-based group said it “condemns this violent targeting of journalists simply for doing their jobs. It is unacceptable and contrary to fundamental principles of democracy.”

AFP’s global news director Phil Chetwynd said: “It is totally unacceptable to target journalists doing their jobs. In the case of the AFP staff members, both were clearly recognisable as journalists.”

Police said they had arrested 174 “suspects” in Nairobi, Kitengela-Rift Valley and Emali-Makueni county on Thursday.