Security within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) has been beefed up ahead of the Anti-Finance Bill protests.
Kenyans.co.ke, through a spot check of the CBD, discovered that additional police officers had been deployed.
The officers were deployed in strategic streets across the CBD such as Parliament Road with others patrolling in vehicles and trucks.
For instance, some of the vehicles were stationed under the Nairobi Expressway as the police monitored movement in and out of the CBD along Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road.
Most of the officers were armed with rungus, shields and helmets.
Kenyans.co.ke journalists who were in the CBD in the morning, described that situation as tense with some of the shops being closed in the morning.
Some residents also lamented that the police were quick to disperse crowds and did not want people to stand together.
Likewise, there was intensified police presence at State House Nairobi. Armoured vehicles were also photographed near State House by a Citizen TV crew during their patrol.
Consequently, Leaders within the opposition have also called out the government for the heavy police presence which they claimed was aimed at instilling fear among Kenyans.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna opined that some of the officers may have been brought in from other areas given that some did not recognise him and attempted to block him from accessing his office.
"The police officers deployed in Nairobi today are clearly not from here. Ruto has brought his village mates and put them in command of the formations around parliament," Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna stated.
"I know this because the one in charge of the unit outside the Supreme Court tried to block me from accessing my office at KICC just now. Such cowards!"
The deployment of the police was expected following the anticipated intensified protests within the CBD later in the day.
At the time of publishing, some protesters had already gathered within the Nairobi Archives area and were chanting anti-Finance Bill slogans.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki gave a green light for the protests on Monday. However, he set guidelines for the exercise including specific timelines to be followed.
