Puzzle as protesters drag Uhuru Park sculptures to Kenyatta Avenue

Sculptures along Kenyatta Avenue street/ SCREENGRAB

A bizarre scene unfolded in Nairobi on Wednesday as protesters dragged life-sized wildlife sculptures from Uhuru Park and placed them in the middle of Kenyatta Avenue.

In a widely circulated video, the sculptures — which included a lion, an elephant, and a buffalo — were seen awkwardly positioned across the busy road, bringing traffic to a standstill and leaving onlookers puzzled.

The sculptures, normally stationed at the newly refurbished Uhuru Park as part of its decorative landscape, were carried several blocks by a group of demonstrators amid Gen-Z protests.

As they chanted slogans and blew whistles, sirens and helicopters could be heard in the background, indicating a heightened security presence.

Armed police were seen patrolling nearby in vehicles, though they appeared to keep their distance from the protestors at that moment.

The motive behind relocating the sculptures remains unclear.

Meanwhile, a large crowd was seen gathering along State House Road in Nairobi as Gen Z-led protests climaxed after a dramatic day of confrontation with security officers.

Thousands of protestors, who had earlier been blocked from accessing the road leading to the State House, breached security and took over the area.

The demonstrators had initially assembled at Uhuru Park before pushing past security barricades along State House Road in an attempt to advance towards the highly guarded presidential residence.

The protesters, mobilised through online platforms, had vowed to reach the State House as part of the June 25 commemoration of last year's deadly anti-government demonstrations.

This marks the first time that protestors have successfully marched along State House Road. In 2024, demonstrators breached Parliament grounds in similarly tense scenes.

The protests, which have gripped Nairobi, have also spread to several other counties across the country, signalling a growing wave of nationwide dissent.

In Kisii, demonstrators lit bonfires and barricaded roads, causing major disruptions to businesses and transport.

Mombasa saw crowds gather in parts of the CBD, with reports of running battles between protesters and police officers attempting to disperse them with teargas.