NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 – Nairobi’s usually bustling Central Business District (CBD) was unusually quiet on Thursday as Kenya marked the second anniversary of the June 25, 2024 Gen Z protests.

📻 Breaking It Down

Despite the government declaring the day a normal working day, deserted streets, shuttered businesses and a heavy police presence replaced the city’s characteristic weekday activity.

By mid-morning, roads that are typically packed with commuters and traffic remained largely empty, while hundreds of police officers were deployed at key locations across the capital.

Authorities barricaded sections of major roads leading into the CBD, disrupting public transport and limiting vehicle access as security agencies prepared for planned memorial demonstrations.

📌 What You Need to Know

Many businesses remained closed amid uncertainty surrounding the protests.

A spot check across the city centre revealed a subdued atmosphere, punctuated by whistles, chants and occasional slogans from small groups of protesters gathering at different locations.

Opposition leaders, activists and families of victims of the June 2024 protests however, made their way to Parliament where they laid wreaths on barbed wires erected by police.

In an unusual scene, some young people were seen playing football on roads normally congested with traffic, while skaters moved freely through sections of the CBD left vacant by the absence of vehicles.

The disruption also created opportunities for boda boda operators, who ferried stranded commuters into the city after public service vehicles were prevented from accessing parts of the CBD.

Along Jogoo Road, police mounted roadblocks near City Stadium and stopped public service vehicles from proceeding into the city centre. Access along sections of Uhuru Highway was restricted, while parts of Bunyala Road were also closed to control movement into the CBD.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya