South Africa's police minister accused of links to criminal gangs
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has been accused of having ties to criminal gangs and of meddling in police investigations into politically motivated murders.
The demonstrations mark the 35th anniversary of the historic Saba Saba protests (July 7, 1990), which launched Kenya's push toward multi-party democracy.
From early morning, security forces blocked all major roads leading into downtown Nairobi ahead of the protests. The city center appeared deserted, with businesses closed and a heavy police presence on the streets.
In other parts of Nairobi, clashes broke out as protesters lit fires and attempted to break through the police cordon. Officers responded with tear gas and water cannons.
Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds on Thika Street, as well as in Kitengela, a town on the outskirts of the capital. In Kamukunji, near the site of the original Saba Saba protests, police battled groups of protesters who set fires in the streets.
The rest of the country remained largely calm, although some clashes were reported.
Earlier, hundreds of commuters were stranded at checkpoints early in the morning and overnight, some more than 10 kilometers (six miles) from the city center, with only a few vehicles allowed through.
Why a blogger's death has put Kenyan police on trial
Are East African governments uniting to silence dissent?
Within the city, roads leading to key government sites, including the president's official residence, State House, and the Kenyan Parliament, were blocked with barbed wire.
Some schools advised students to stay home.
By mid-morning Monday, hundreds of overnight commuters remained stranded outside the city center, with major highways still closed.
Some long-distance buses were parked in Kabete, about 13 kilometers from the city center, and many passengers who couldn't afford to pay extra for motorcycle rides to their destinations remained there.
Humphrey Gumbishi, a bus driver, said they had started their journey Sunday night and encountered the police roadblock in the morning.
"We started traveling at 8:30 p.m. last night... We want the government to engage in dialogue with Generation Z so that all this can end," he told the BBC.
In a statement released Sunday night, the police said it was their constitutional duty to protect lives and property while maintaining public order.
Monday's demonstrations were organized primarily by so-called Generation Z youth, who are demanding good governance, greater accountability, and justice for victims of police brutality, continuing the wave of anti-government protests that have taken place since last year.
On June 25, at least 19 people were killed and thousands of businesses were looted and destroyed in a day of nationwide protests held in honor of those killed in last year's anti-tax protests.
Recent demonstrations have turned violent, with reports of infiltration by thugs accused of looting and attacking protesters. Civil society organizations allege collusion between these groups and the police, allegations the police have strongly denied.
On Sunday, an armed gang attacked the headquarters of a human rights NGO in Nairobi. The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) had organized a press conference to demand an end to state violence ahead of Monday's protests.
KHRC spokesperson Ernest Cornel said the gang consisted of at least 25 people on motorcycles chanting, "There will be no protest today."
"They carried rocks, batons... they stole laptops, they stole a phone, and they also took valuables from the journalists who were there," he told the BBC's Newsday program.
The original Saba Saba protests were a key moment that helped usher in multi-party democracy in Kenya after years of one-party rule.
The response from then-President Daniel arap Moi's government was brutal. Many protesters were arrested, and at least 20 people were reportedly killed.
Since then, Saba Saba has come to symbolize civic resistance and the struggle for democratic freedom in Kenya.
More stories about Kenya from the BBC:
The BBC identifies the security forces who shot anti-tax protesters in Kenya.
The Kenya protests are an "attempted coup," says the minister.
El Chapo and MP Jesus: Why does Kenya's president have so many nicknames?
New faces of protest: Kenya's anti-tax revolutionaries of Generation Z
