Mombasa residents on Monday, October 28, escalated their demonstrations against the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) by burning an effigy of Tourism CS Najib Balala.
The residents held a protest outside the Mombasa Law Courts where they destroyed the roughly made model of the CS in protest.
The locals burnt the CS's sculpture over his remarks earlier in October accusing leaders and activists of being behind the weekly protests that have rocked the coastal city over the directive to reroute all cargo via the SGR.
They also filed a case at the court against the Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, Attorney General Paul Kiharu and the county police commandant for denying them the right to protest.
Leading the protests, Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid stated that it was unlawful for the police to deny the residents the right to protest.
"The police cannot undermine the right to protest against the SGR. That is why we are filing the case in court today. Black Mondays will continue every single Monday until we get economic justice," he affirmed.
Prior to the Mashujaa celebrations, Mombasa county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo banned all planned rallies in the county.
The directive saw police cordoned off Tononoka grounds where a section of Mombasa residents who were dissatisfied by government SGR cargo directive was planning to hold a prayer meeting on Mashujaa Day, October 20.
The meeting which was announced by traders and civil society groups threatened to boycott the Mashujaa celebrations.
However, the congregation was not possible as heavy security deployed to stop the prayer meeting.
Here is the video of the demonstrations:
