Police seal off key roads in Nairobi as Kenya braces for Gen Z protests

The planned protests, largely mobilised through social media platforms, are expected to take place in major towns including Nairobi, Mombasa and parts of central Kenya.

Security agencies have heightened surveillance in major urban centres ahead of the protests, with police expected to maintain a heavy presence in Nairobi and strategic installations.

Footage from a local TV station shows flames and smoke rising in the Githurai area near Nairobi, as protesters lit fires during clashes with police.

Police officers were also seen firing tear gas to disperse crowds gathered in the area. Several people have been arrested by anti-riot police in Nairobi, while trying to access the city.

Some parents who lost children during the 2024 protests have asked the government to allow them to peacefully remember their loved ones.

"We don't want tear gas and running battles in the streets. We are too old for that," one of the parents told journalists in Nairobi.

Opposition leaders led by Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua and Eugene Wamalwa joined families of the victims to lay wreath at parliament in honour of those who died during the 2024 demonstations.

Early on Thursday, police mounted roadblocks along the Thika Super Highway, Mombasa Road, the Nairobi-Namanga Highway in Athi River, Kenyatta Avenue, Waiyaki Way, Jogoo Road, and other major routes, preventing motorists and pedestrians from accessing the city centre.

Authorities have urged protesters to remain peaceful and avoid acts of violence, looting, or destruction of property.