On Tuesday, June 18, the United States Embassy issued a safety alert to its citizens in Kenya in light of planned protests in the capital city.
In the advisory, US citizens were advised to steer clear of potential hotspots such as the Central Business District and areas around the parliament buildings.
Despite assurances from the event organizers about peaceful intentions, the Embassy warned that the demonstrations could escalate into violence.
"Organizers have stated that the events are intended to be peaceful. However, large public gatherings can turn violent at any moment. It is advisable to remain vigilant, stay informed of the situation, and avoid large gatherings," the statement read.
Americans were also alerted to anticipated disruptions in city traffic.
Furthermore, the embassy advised its citizens to have evacuation plans in place that do not rely on the U.S. government for assistance in case of any outbreak of violence.
American citizens were also requested to keep a low profile while avoiding public gatherings and large crowds.
The administration further cautioned its citizens to ensure their travel documentation was up to date and easily accessible at all times.
More actions that the embassy requested its citizens to take was to be more vigilant while in tourist and foreigner frequented places .
Meanwhile, as the embassy issued the safety advisory to its citizens, heavy police presence was deployed to the CBD as Kenyans took to the streets to protest the proposed Finance Bill of 2024.
The protestors have vowed to march to parliament buildings, demanding that their legislators lend a voice to their transgressions on proposed punitive taxes within the bill.
Kenyans have continued demanding that parliament do away with the bill despite the government-allied faction of legislators proposing changes to a Finance Committee report to be tabled to parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
