Police fire tear gas, arrest dozens in Kenya anti-brutality march

NAIROBI: Kenyan police on Tuesday fired tear gas at protesters marching against police brutality in the capital Nairobi, arresting dozens for defying a ban on large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. The march took place to commemorate “Saba Saba” day, which means the seventh day of the seventh month. It marks the day in 1990 that violent protests broke out in Kenya to demand free elections under the iron-fisted president Daniel arap Moi. This year the march was aimed at denouncing police brutality, which has seen at least 15 people killed by police enforcing an evening curfew put in place to stop the spread of coronavirus, according to a toll compiled by the police oversight agency IPOA. Activists had planned demonstrations in downtown Nairobi, as well as several informal settlements, however some were broken up with tear gas, while protest organisers were arrested in several locations. Contingents of heavily-armed police officers were deployed to protest areas to disperse demonstrators.