Chaos erupted in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on June 17, 2025, as police clashed with peaceful protesters demanding justice for accountability and reform within the country’s law enforcement agencies.
What began as a calm demonstration quickly turned volatile when officers fired tear gas to disperse the swelling crowd.
Protesters, mostly youth, gathered to voice their rejection of new tax proposals they say will worsen the cost of living. Waving placards and chanting slogans, they demanded accountability from lawmakers.
The protestors also carried placards bearing Ojwang’s image and chanted slogans, with some demanding the arrest of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the National Police Service (NPS) who filed the complaint against the deceased, leading to his arrest.
However, the mood shifted when heavily armed police officers moved in to block key streets, forcing demonstrators to scatter. Masked-up officers with batons are trying to counter the protesters; tear gas canisters are also witnessed being launched into the air while police officers are being outnumbered as more protesters keep streaming in numbers.
Demonstrators accused the government of shielding rogue officers and stalling justice while making their way to Moi Avenue while countering the police officers.
Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and business people scrambled for safety as clouds of tear gas filled the air along Kenyatta Avenue and Moi Avenue. Police Land Rovers patrolled the area as protesters regrouped and tried to push forward.
Mumias MP Peter Salasya has decried the situation, saying that our CBD cannot be controlled by paid goons, noting that it is not safe for any successful government.
“Who paid these goons to take over Nairobi CBD like this? We should not encourage this going forward; the CBD can’t be controlled by paid goons. It’s not safe and healthy for any successful government. This again exposes the police service as incompetent officers who can’t contain demonstrations professionally,” read a post on Salasya’s X account.
The confrontation disrupted transport and forced business premises to close, highlighting the momentum behind the demonstrations.
Ojwang’s murder reignited nationwide outrage over police brutality and renewed calls for deep-rooted reforms and accountability in the security sector.
Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay County on June 6, 2025, over defamation of DIG Lagat. He was transported more than 350 kilometres to Nairobi’s Central Police Station, where he was found dead.
On Monday, June 16, 2025, pressure mounted on Lagat, whose complaint led to the arrest, as civil society leaders, lawyers, and political figures dismissed his stepping aside as cosmetic and demanded his immediate arrest and prosecution.
Lagat eventually stepped aside, paving the way for impartial investigations into the matter.
The government has not issued an official statement, but tensions remain high as calls for justice grow louder across the country.
