The anti-riot police in Nairobi opened fire with tear gas canisters as Raila Odinga's motorcade exited the Serena Hotel near the city centre.

Together with his co-principal Martha Karua and a number of other opposition figures, including Eugene Wamalwa, the leader of the Wiper Party Kalonzo Musyoka, and the leader of the Roots Party George Wajackoyah, among others, Odinga departed the hotel on Monday at around 2:40 p.m.

PHOTO | COURTESY

When police restricted entrance to Nairobi's core business centre, the opposition leader is now driving a convoy of vehicles through residential neighbourhoods.

Nakuru Nairobi Protests

Joel Kairu, a former speaker of the Nakuru county legislature, and Bernard Miruka, the ODM chair in Nakuru, were arrested on Monday as they planned peaceful Azimio protests there.


The two were placed in a police car and driven to the adjacent Nakuru central police station as the protesters dispersed.

 Nakuru Protestors Numbers

Only about 30 people turned up for the protest. The demonstrators had travelled over a kilometre up Kenyatta Avenue in the City before being stopped by armed police officers at the Posta intersection.

Even though onlookers and the business community yelled them down, the demonstrators who were also screaming anti-government chants put up a valiant display.

PHOTO | COURTESY

The demonstrators were overheard being instructed to board public vehicles and travel to Nairobi to join the main demonstration.

Before beginning the trip, Kairu stated that they intended to present a petition to Rift Valley regional commissioner Abdi Hassan.


"This protest is peaceful, the team simply wants to walk to the regional commissioner to hand over our petition which he (the commissioner) should forward to President William Ruto," he said.

He said Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance supporters would continue pushing for a lower cost of living and a better economy.

 Nairobi Protestors

Nairobi protestors turned out in thousands. While preparing to join the leaders of Azimio la Umoja in their planned rallies in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), adjacent to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, some young people were detained (KICC).


The young men gathered in front of the KICC, where the march led by the Azimio la Umoja movement's leaders was scheduled to begin. When some of them allegedly attempted to enter KICC, arrests were made.