Activist Hanifa Adan was reportedly assaulted on Tuesday, June 16, in Nairobi’s CBD during ongoing protests over the death of Albert Ojwang.
Adan, who had joined fellow demonstrators demanding justice for Ojwang, recounted a harrowing experience involving an attack by suspected goons as police allegedly looked on without intervening.
"The police are watching the goons terrorizing innocent people. One of the goons beat me up and took my phone, and I caught his jacket trying to get my phone back as he continued bodying me. Other people joined and caught up with him. I took my phone, and he got beaten up," she said.
The incident has sparked fresh outrage among Kenyans who say the presence of goons targeting protesters is a deliberate attempt to intimidate peaceful demonstrators.
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Witnesses reported that groups of armed goons on motorbikes were seen accosting protesters and robbing them, creating panic among demonstrators.
The attackers, some wielding crude weapons, targeted individuals at random; surprisingly several videos showed uniformed police officers walking alongside the goons.
In retaliation, enraged protesters turned on some of the attackers, chasing them down and beating up several of them.
One motorbike used by the suspected goons was set ablaze by the crowd as tensions escalated.
In the morning, protesters, many carrying placards and waving Kenyan flags, poured into the city centre, calling for justice for Ojwang.
The situation quickly escalated when police fired tear gas at a group of demonstrators outside Nation Centre.
The crowd had gathered for prayers before continuing with the protest.
At the same time, key roads leading into the CBD, including Mombasa Road, Thika Superhighway, and Jogoo Road, saw a heavy police presence.
