Police fire teargas to disperse protesters in Nairobi CBD on June 25, 2026./SCREENGRAB
Police fired teargas canisters at demonstrators in multiple locations across Nairobi’s Central Business District today as youth-led groups marked the second anniversary of the deadly 2024 Gen Z protests.
Videos circulating on social media showed heavy teargassing around City Market, where protesters attempting to push toward key government buildings were met with volleys of tear gas, forcing them to scatter toward Globe Roundabout.
Thick plumes of smoke filled the air as crowds ran for cover, with many covering their faces amid the acrid fumes.
Similar confrontations erupted near the University of Nairobi (UON) and along University Way, where students and other protesters clashed with anti-riot police trying to prevent them from entering the CBD.
Tear gas was also reported in other parts of the city centre, including areas close to Parliament, where security forces maintained a heavy presence with barricades and roadblocks.
The actions come as Kenyans commemorate the June 25, 2024, protests against the controversial Finance Bill, which spiralled into nationwide unrest resulting in more than 120 deaths according to rights groups.
Today’s demonstrations were largely framed as peaceful memorials calling for justice, accountability for police excesses, and an end to abductions and extrajudicial killings.
Police justified the use of force and road closures as necessary to maintain order, with Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud declaring any unnotified protests illegal.
Several arrests were reported alongside the teargassing.
Some opposition leaders were reportedly caught up in the chaos, with some videos showing them navigating the tear gas-filled streets.
As of midday, businesses in the CBD remained shuttered, and the situation continued to be tense with running skirmishes between protesters and security forces.
The deployment of tear gas has once again highlighted the fragile relationship between security agencies and a generation of young citizens demanding systemic change.
