Kenya police fire tear gas at protest against alleged government abductions
Al JazeeraJan 01
Kenyans Protest Disappearance of Government Critics
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Above: Kenyan security forces intervened in demonstrators gathered to protest against the alleged abduction or disappearance of those critical of Pres. William Ruto and the government in Nairobi, Kenya on Dec. 30, 2024. Image copyright: Samson Otieno/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
Police in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi used tear gas to disperse demonstrators on Monday protesting the alleged abductions of critics of Pres. William Ruto's administration, amid a wave of anti-government and anti-tax increase protests.
Opposition Senator Okiya Omtatah and others were reportedly arrested after refusing to disperse during a sit-in in downtown Nairobi, with protests also occurring in the cities of Embu, Mombasa, and Kitengela. Demonstrators and police in Nairobi disagreed as to whether the legally required protest permits had been obtained.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Pres. Ruto was elected to help bring in a new era in Kenya, with his crackdown on peaceful protestors and tacitly accepted regime of abductions being a dark stain on his administration. The disappearance of nearly one hundred activists cannot go unnoticed by the global community, and Ruto must release all still held in custody.
Establishment-critical narrative
The president has listened to the voice of the people and has scaled back his tax reform efforts. Despite this, his administration continues to be assailed on all fronts by those who take their rights too far. Ruto has acknowledged that rogue actors are behind the abductions, and all parties must cooperate to restore order to Kenya.
