{"id":15752,"date":"2024-07-16T09:26:54","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T09:26:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/?p=15752"},"modified":"2024-07-16T09:26:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T09:26:57","slug":"kenya-braces-for-total-shutdown-tuesday-amid-nationwide-protests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/?p=15752","title":{"rendered":"Kenya Braces for ‘Total Shutdown Tuesday’ Amid Nationwide Protests."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Kenya is on high alert as the nation prepares for ‘Total Shutdown Tuesday,’ a day expected to be marked by intense protests. The anticipation follows the violent demonstrations on July 2, which led to widespread chaos and casualties in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Migori.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President William Ruto’s administration faces a critical test after partially addressing the demands of Kenya’s youth. In a dramatic move, Ruto dismissed his entire cabinet, sparing only Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and announced plans to eliminate the offices of the first and second ladies, along with the office of the prime cabinet secretary’s spouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protest organizers have taken to social media, urging participation with the message: \u201cIf you can’t protest, stay home in memory of the heroes we have lost in the peaceful protests, and in solidarity with the GenZs who are fighting for a better Kenya.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the onset of the anti-government protests on June 18, there have been 41 reported deaths and over 600 arrests. The unrest was sparked by proposed tax hikes, highlighting the public’s growing dissatisfaction with the administration’s policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11:30 AM – Kisumu Erupts in Protests, Youths Block Key Highway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Kisumu, protestors have blocked the Nairobi-Kisumu highway. Waving flags and dancing, they have set up roadblocks in the city’s central business district, voicing their grievances. Police have restricted access to the State House Lodge in Kisumu. So far, the protests have remained peaceful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11:00 AM – Protests Spread Across Nairobi and Mombasa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protests have also erupted in Nairobi and Mombasa. In Nairobi, tensions rose as police used tear gas on small groups of demonstrators along Moi Avenue near the Super Metro stage. While the situation remains volatile in Nairobi, Mombasa has seen hundreds of protestors march peacefully through Kenyatta Avenue in the city\u2019s CBD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10:30 AM – State House Sealed Off as Protests Loom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In preparation for the nationwide protest, anti-riot police have sealed off all roads leading to State House Nairobi. Vehicles and occupants are undergoing rigorous screening, with many being turned away. A senior police officer emphasized the routine nature of these security measures on days of potential unrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10:00 AM – Masked Armed Groups Gather in Kericho & Kakamega<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video footage shows masked men wielding clubs in Kericho and Kakamega counties, raising concerns about potential violence. Acting Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja confirmed intelligence reports of plans by organized criminal groups to infiltrate and disrupt the protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9:45 AM – Protests Erupt in Kitengela<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kitengela, Kajiado County, has also seen the outbreak of anti-government protests. Youths are marching along the Nairobi-Namanga highway, with police presence but no intervention so far. Previous protests in Kitengela have led to looting incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8:00 AM – KDF Troops Spotted at Nyayo Stadium, Tense Atmosphere in Nairobi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops have been seen at Nyayo Stadium, preparing for the protests. Although President Ruto assured that the KDF would not be deployed on the streets if protests remain peaceful, their presence indicates readiness for potential unrest. The capital remains tense, with many businesses closed and police visibly stationed across the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned for further updates as the situation unfolds.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kenya is on high alert as the nation prepares for ‘Total Shutdown Tuesday,’ a day expected to be marked by intense protests. The anticipation follows the violent demonstrations on July 2, which led to widespread chaos and casualties in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Migori. President William Ruto’s administration faces a critical test after partially addressing the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":15753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12,3,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-news","category-political-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-03-27-at-08.59.53-1024x683-1-1024x576-1.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15752"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15752\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15754,"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15752\/revisions\/15754"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getufm.co.ke\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}