On a turbulent day marked by protests as Kenyans tried to occupy and block all roads leading to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), violence erupted later that night, leaving the residents of Kamiti Road to face brutal police attacks.

The unrest began when protesters set bonfires at various junctions along Kamiti Road, including the Kahawa West roundabout, under the Northern Bypass flyover, near Small Villa in Githurai 44, and at Base and Mirema in Zimmerman Estate. Throughout the afternoon, these bonfires continued to burn, and hundreds of youths staged demonstrations, effectively crippling movement along Kamiti Road.

Motorists on the Northern Bypass, from Marurui toward Kahawa West and beyond, had to navigate bushy routes to reconnect around Jacaranda Estate and back onto Kamiti Road toward Kahawa West. The areas around Small Villa and Uncle Sam in Githurai 44 became impassable, forcing businesses to close as residents gathered for a day of confrontations with the police.



At around 6 p.m., the full force of the police descended on Githurai 44, where they patrolled in large numbers, beating and arresting protesters and even using live ammunition. As the police lobbed tear gas into homes and kiosks, businesses across Githurai 44 swiftly shut down to escape the chaos. The police quickly apprehended and violently beat protesters in plain view of hidden onlookers.

The situation escalated into the night, with eyewitnesses recording the proceedings from their balconies, reporting indiscriminate police shootings and young men being forced to kneel before being loaded into waiting lorries. Videos recorded by Githurai 44 residents showed school buses caught up in the chaos as tear gas enveloped the narrow streets and seeped into homes.

Waza News can confirm that many schools around Kamiti Road promptly notified parents to pick up their children immediately. As the mayhem continued, the number of police increased, moving from a few vans to several unmarked Subarus. Videos seen by Waza News showed plainclothes police officers patrolling the area around Small Villa, just outside the Untitled Lounge, with guns drawn as protesters scrambled for safety.



The Subarus later drove north toward Zimmerman, stopping in the Tunners area for over an hour of confrontation and running battles. As night fell, the violence shifted from Githurai 44 to Zimmerman, where police, in large numbers, stormed through the estate, firing live rounds and even launching tear gas directly into apartments. Zimmerman, a densely populated area with tall apartments and narrow streets, became the new epicenter as the violence took an unprecedented turn, with residents being driven from their homes, choking on tear gas fumes.

Videos circulating online vividly depicted the extent of police brutality. In one video, a tear gas canister explodes on the ground floor of an apartment, creating a frightening fireball, while crowds flee in panic as the police indiscriminately fire at them. A young boy is seen inspecting a bullet, and when told to go back inside, he says, "Nataka kukaa hapa na Daddy. Nikisikia 'tah tah tah,'" mimicking gunshot sounds.



As the videos spread across social media, particularly on X, the names 'Zimmerman,' 'Githurai 44,' and 'Mirema' began trending. A poster with a clenched fist and the Kenyan flag read: "Our hearts bleed with you. Zimmerman."

One of the most heartbreaking videos from that night showed uniformed police officers running down a dark alley toward an unarmed resident. The man, stranded at the entrance of his home, desperately called for someone to open the gate, fearing the impending clash. "Nifungulie, nifungulie mlango nisiuliwe..." he pleaded, amid the cries of onlookers. As the police approached, one of them fired, silencing the man instantly.

On X, a user shared the video, writing, "Those were his last words. These words will forever echo in my brain and serve as a constant reminder of the police brutality in Kenya. I can't sleep." Even at midnight, reports of the terror and suffering in Zimmerman continued to flood X, with more videos revealing the extent of the brutality inflicted on the residents.



The scenes were diverse: tear gas smoke billowed from fourth-floor balconies, more tear gas filled the entire floor of a low-budget rental, and police were seen spraying a pinkish liquid at residents. "This is horrific. It's unacceptable! What crime did the people of Githurai commit? Why always them? What did Kamiti Road people do to deserve this? Why does Ruto hate these people so much? I bleed for my people!" someone wrote on X.

Attaching a series of incriminating videos, another person wrote, "This is not Palestine, Afghanistan, or Ukraine. This is KENYA. There are shootings going on in Zimmerman, Kahawa West, Roysambu, and Githurai 44. People in Subaru are shooting and abducting people. You can hear the live bullets!"

On the night of June 25, now dubbed 'Black Tuesday,' residents of Githurai 45 also reported enduring a nightmarish experience as police, with full force, terrorized the estate for hours. A month later, the government has yet to publicly address the horrors in Githurai, and it remains unclear what exactly transpired that night and who was responsible.

The tragedy in Zimmerman may also go unaddressed, with no consequences for the officers involved. However, the overwhelming digital evidence will remain online, and the unspeakable horrors may never fade from the rugged streets of Nairobi's 'Zimma.'