Thursday, June 27, will be a day most residents of Ong’ata Rongai will never forget. The Nairobi suburb witnessed a series of events that left two people dead, six injured, and a community grappling with the aftermath.
Eyewitness accounts and videos obtained by Kenyans.co.ke paint a grim picture of police ineptitude, unpreparedness, and insufficient armament in the face of mounting unrest.
Rongai, a significant residential suburb in Nairobi’s Metropolitan Area, hosts 172,569 people according to the 2019 census.
Five key locations along Magadi Road, the artery connecting Rongai to Kiserian and the greater Kajiado, are central to understanding the events: Maasai Lodge, Tumaini (home to Maasai Mall), Nyotu (location of Ongata Rongai Police Station), Tuskys (a bustling area with the main bus stop, banks, and Cleanshelve Supermarket), and Kware, the ghetto slightly past Tuskys bus stop.
The unrest began around 11am-12pm, as protestors gathered in groups across Rongai. One group mobilised from Maasai Lodge stage, moving towards the Tuskys area, undeterred by police teargas.
This was the first of two times, witnesses reported the use of tear gas.
Simultaneously, another group advanced from Kiserian towards Tuskys, while a third group emerged from Kware. As the protestors moved, some began breaking into shops around Fourth Avenue at Nyotu, with intentions to loot Cleanshelf and Naivas Supermarkets.
By 1pm-2pm, police were engaged in skirmishes with protestors from Maasai Lodge and Tuskys. Officers at Nyotu pushed protestors back towards Tumaini, but the situation remained volatile.
Witnesses reported looting at Kware Market and vandalism at Cleanshelf supermarket.
The police resorted to using live and rubber bullets as they were pushed back by protestors.
Between 2pm-3pm, a brief lull saw peaceful demonstrations, but this did not last.
By 4pm-5pm, protestors overpowered the police, forcing a retreat to the station. The protestors then advanced towards Tuskys, breaking into shops along Church Road and targeting Cleanshelf Supermarket.
At 5:30 pm, a moment that turned the tide ensued. Protestors captured a police officer, as evidenced by a disturbing video obtained by Kenyans.co.ke.
The crowd turned violent, beating the officer and seizing his firearm. The tension peaked when one protestor fired the pistol twice into the air before returning it to the beleaguered officers. This brazen act underscored the volatile and unpredictable nature of the day's events.
They managed to breach the supermarket’s entrance between 6-6:30pm, triggering a looting spree.
The police response was swift but brutal. They used live bullets, causing protestors to flee into Kware.
Tragically, a child was shot near Cleanshelf along a feeder road connecting Tuskys and Kware Market, just steps from Joy Land eatery.
From 7-9:30pm, the police continued firing live bullets while conducting operations in Kware. One more person would be reported shot during this time.
The aftermath saw many counting losses from vandalised shops and physical injuries. One protestor, who requested anonymity, shared images of a bullet wound sustained near Cleanshelf before the supermarket was breached.
Six people including two police officers were critically injured and admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), with two confirmed dead.
The police have yet to issue a statement on the day’s events, which many are comparing to the unrest witnessed in Githurai 45 on the night of Tuesday, June 25. Further protests are anticipated in the coming week.
